


Broken Crown

by PrideandPadawans



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:55:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrideandPadawans/pseuds/PrideandPadawans
Summary: Prince Phillip and his wife die unexpectedly. All of a sudden Henry finds himself second in line. He and Alex now have to deal with twice the royal expectations.Updates weekly!Rating may change/ more tags added
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, June Claremont-Diaz/Percy "Pez" Okonjo
Comments: 65
Kudos: 211





	1. In This Twilight

Their living room is a complete mess. Alex's papers lie on every surface. They're stacked in piles with different colored post-its on top. Blue of the election, yellow for law school, green for post-grad ideas. It made sense in his head. Henry had carved out a small corner and is tucked up in a chair with David, giving Alex all the space he needs to put out whatever fire he was currently faced with. Alex is sitting on the floor using the coffee table as a desk. He is hunched over with his glasses nearly sliding off his nose as he flips through a dense book. He doesn't notice the phone vibrating in his pocket or Henry getting up and ruffling his head as he walks out to the kitchen. 

Henry returns a moment later with a cold bottle of water and holds it in front of Alex who finally snaps out of his trance. He becomes aware of the sounds of the city, sirens driving by, people on the street. He sees Henry standing next to him and starts to feel the vibration in his pocket and the couch he was leaning against digging into his lower back. "I think I got the wrong book for the library," Alex says as he grabs the water and sends Henry a grateful smile. 

"Does that mean you need to go back?" 

"Yeah, but not right now. I don't exactly have the time."

"What are you working on right now?"

"An essay, one of my last. But there are a dozen other things that I can work on. But that's whatever, what are you reading?" Henry holds his book up showing the cover of Pride and Prejudice. "Trying to take notes on how to woo me, Mr. Darcy?"

"You are not the only one studying," Alex smirks, stands up, and walks over to the chair Henry is sitting in. He sits down in front of it so he is looking up at Henry as if the prince was about to give a storytime to a bunch of preschoolers. 

"What does Mr. Darcy say?"

"That maybe you should stop sitting on the floor."

"Is that so?" Alex jumps up and right into Henry's lap causing him to drop the book and David to quickly jump out of the way. 

"This is not what I meant." Henry rests his head on Alex's shoulder. Alex leans his head over opening his neck up for Henry to place a kiss on it. Alex closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. Outside someone suddenly lays on a horn causing Alex to jump to attention. "Wonder what is going on outside?" Henry asks just as Alex's phone vibrates against his hips. "Also check your phone, it's been buzzing for a bit. They both stand up and Henry turns to look out the window behind him.

Alex unlocks his phone to find a slew of missed texts and news alerts. He clicks on the most recent one from the AP. 

**HRH PRINCE PHILLIP AND WIFE MARTHA CONFIRMED DEAD AFTER PLANE CRASH**

Shit. Fuck. Shit. Alex allows his brain exactly one second of panic before launching into action. 

"Henry?"

"Yes, love?" He says as he pulls aside the curtain to look outside. As soon as he's opened the curtain to get a look he is greeted by camera flashes and the police. He notices Cash shoving his way through the crowd to their front door. Alex reaches over pulling the curtain closed. 

"Uh, Henry where is your phone?"

"On the nightstand. What happened?" He asks.

"Uh-" is all Alex can get out.

"Is Gran dead?"

"No. But, um, it’s-" There are three loud knocks at the door startling both of them. 

"It's Cash," Henry says and Alex moves to open the door. Henry catches his arm though. "First though. Who died?"

There are more loud knocks. "Phillip. Henry, it was Phillip and Martha."

"Oh..." 

Alex grabs his shoulder and stared Henry right in the eyes. "I am going to be right back. I just- " There are more loud knocks. Alex sends Henry a glance as he walks toward the entryway. "I'll be right back." 

Henry runs to the front door undoing all of the locks on it. Cash runs in followed by a handful of agents. "We need to move you two, now." He says urgently. 

"Uh yeah." Alex leans towards Cash and in a whisper says, "I just told Henry. Can we have 20 minutes before we flee the country?"

"15. More people are arriving by the minute." 

"Okay." 

Alex runs back into the other room to find Henry condensing the work he has strewn about the room. "What are you doing?"

"I- just... we have to go, right?"

"Yeah, but take a minute." 

"No. I need to keep moving." Henry finishes staking all the blue post-it note piles before looking up at Alex. "Let's get out of here. We can talk on the plane." More sirens pull up onto their street. Why New York? Alex asks himself. Why not Montanna? Would have taken the press longer to get there. 

"Okay," Alex says worriedly. "Let’s go pack."

"And change," Henry says, straightening out another pile. 

"Huh?" 

"Mourning clothes. I will show you. Come on." 

Alex pulls their prepacked carry-ons out of the hall closet and Henry ruffles through the closet in their bedroom. Two large suitcases are laying open on the bed. "Think you can wheel me out in one of these?" Henry asks as he places two pairs of pants in Alex's suitcase. 

"I got this," Alex says, stepping in front of the suitcases. 

"It's fine," Henry says turning back to the closet and pulling out even more of Alex's clothes. "There's a suit on the bathroom door for you." 

"Henry," Alex spins him around so they are face to face. He notices the tension in Henry's jar. His eyes are wide. "You don't have to do this."

"Alex every newspaper in the world is on our doorstep. When I get to the plane I will have hours to figure this out. Just let me distract myself long enough to get to the plane." Alex notices the tears starting to gloss over Henry's eyes as he speaks.

"Okay. I am here for whatever you need. You are right though, we need to get out of here."

Once they are both dressed in black suits they return to the entryway with Cash. "Police have managed to clear a path to a car parked outside." He says as he looks over Henry and Alex. "It is intense out there. The crowd stretches on for blocks." 

"Just like the Beatles." Alex soberly jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood. Henry lifts his head sending Alex a small smile in return. 

The other agents are right at the door ready to open it and lead the way out. Cash gets in position to follow them out. 

"On the count of three." Cash says from behind them. "One... two..."

Alex had been in this fair share of crowds before. He had been escorted through mobs of people who adored him and hated him. While the press certainly had an interest in his life, more so after he and Henry became public knowledge, it was never like this. The people who got to their house first were the most aggressive and intense paparazzi in New York City. This also meant that they were the ones a couple of feet away pushing up against the police line and shoving a camera in their face. Alex wraps his arm around Henry's back pulling him into him. He would die before he let this crowd touch his boyfriend. The agents pull open the car door and the two boys climb inside. As soon as the door is closed Henry slides his arms around Alex and buries his face in the crook of Alex's neck. Cash gets in the front seat and the car immediately starts moving very slowly through the crowd. A handful of police cars near them switch their sirens on and Alex assumes they're getting an escort to the airport. People try to walk right up to the vehicle. It brings back images of zombie films to Alex's mind. The further away from the brownstone, they get the faster the motorcade moves. 

Eventually, they are on the tarmac parked feet away from the entrance to the plane. Alex and Henry practically run onboard from the car. Alex looks around the cabin and notices a doorway that leads to a separate lounge. He leads Henry to the second lounge and catches Cash's eye before he closes the door. Cash nods understandingly and takes a seat far from the door. 

This room was designed to be an emergency conference room and it doesn't lend itself easily to holding your grieving boyfriend. They take two leather recliners next to each other. Henry hand tense in Alex's. "What happened?" Henry asks looking down. 

"A plane crash. I didn't get a chance to read much more." 

Henry just hmms in acknowledgment. 

" I can find out more." Alex pulls out his phone swiping away the pile of missed calls and messages from his family and friends. It opens to the article he had clicked on before. "They were in South Africa and the plane went down outside Bloemfontein." Alex quickly swipes the pictures of the crash off of his screen. Henry doesn’t need to see them.

"How did the media find out? They would have told me before- before they..." Henry panics out 

"It, uh, it was clear from the crash that no one made it out."

The plane rumbles to life under them as the first tears fall from Henry's eyes. 

An hour into the flight Henry had fallen asleep against Alex's shoulder. He finally decides to look at this phone and respond to the pile of notifications. Alex types everyone whose name he could think of to text into a group message.

Mom, BUG,PREZZY PEZ, Dad, irl chaos demon

* * *

were ok

on our way to england

BUG

I am going to NY to get David.

Mom

Tell Henry, Leo, and I are thinking of him.

PREZZY PEZ

I just got into London. Let me know when you land. 

Dad

Love you son!

irl chaos demon

The press looked crazy; I’m sorry

Alex switches over to Google and scrolls through the top articles. Eventually, he finds what he is looking for, the pictures from the brownstone. The first one is of Henry's confused face looking peeking out the curtain at the crowd. The last moment before Henry learned he would be king. Oh shit. Henry is going to be king. Like King of England-King. Fuck. Alex must tense up at the realization because Henry starts to stir awake. Alex is trying to ignore his heart slamming in his chest and focus on Henry. 

"What's wrong?" Henry asks, blinking awake. 

"Nothing. You should go back to sleep. Get some rest while you can."

"No. I...I should probably call Bea." Henry sits up straight. 

"I'll give you the room." Alex stands up.

"Bring back snacks?" Henry asks as he pats down his pockets to find his phone. 

"Of course. You haven't had lunch yet. I'll see if they have anything. Text me when you are done okay?"

"Okay." 

Alex leans down and kisses Henry’s forehead. “I love you” He reminds Henry as he leaves

Alex slides the door closed behind him. He walks over and takes the only empty set in this section. Luckily the seat is right next to Cash who asks if he is alright.

"It's just-" Alex drops his voice low so only Cash can hear. "He's going to be king now. What the fuck? There's just so much." Alex slides his knees up to his chin. 

"Just take it one second at a time. He is not getting on the throne tomorrow." 

"You’re right. Are there any snacks?" Cash looks around and catches the flight attendant’s eye. She walks over.

"What can I get for you?" She asks the two of them. Alex orders two salads and two glasses of wine. 

Just after the food arrives on the small table next to Alex. The door to the other room slides open. Henry walks out, his eyes still puffed up from crying. "You acquired lunch." He states plainly. 

"Yeah. We both need to eat something." 

Cash moves to stand up and offer Henry his seat, but Henry quickly tells him no thank you. Alex slides to one side of his seat and Henry squeezes in next to him. "How is Bea?" Alex asks. 

"Alright. She's been busy keeping Mum calm." 

"I didn't even think about your mom," Alex realizes. 

"It seems she's gotten the brunt of Gran's freak out." 

"Because..."

"Because the gay son who never enlisted is now 3rd in line." Henry reaches for the glass of wine next to him. "It's not fair of her to be cruel to mum over it though. It's not her fault."

"Would it be okay if I said your Grandma was being an ass right now?"

"As long as no one else can hear you; say whatever you want. Bea's been running interference between them for hours. She is much closer to Phillip than I ever have been. She shouldn't have to deal with Gran being immature." Henry picks a plate and passes it to Alex. "Eat. I know you skipped breakfast."

"Do not worry about me right now. But I'll eat if you will too?" Henry grumbles an agreement and grabs his plate. They both pick at the salads, not consuming too much. 

After they eat, both of them return to the other lounge and lean on each other over the armrests between them. Alex scrolls through the press coverage, trying to get a better handle on what to expect in England. He tilts his screen hiding it from Henry. Henry had connected his phone to the room's Bluetooth and was playing the B-side of Dark Side of the Moon. He was also sneaking glances at the articles on Alex's phone. 

Eventually, Alex catches him reading. "Sorry I shouldn't be reading this." Alex clicks his screen dark. 

"It's okay. It's easier. Reading it over your shoulder than having to ask Bea or someone for the details. I don't know why, but it is. I wish I could say I was super upset, but we didn't have a regular relationship. Things were getting better and I wish I could have had that relationship with him. Before you came along, Philip and I had maybe one conversation not out of necessity a year and they never ended well.

"I should be screaming and sobbing that my brother is dead, but that would be fake. What upset me more is that what happened outside the brownstone is my life now. There is no avoiding it. I'm fucked and it's his fault and I can't even be mad about it because he's dead.

"And Gran's going to be back on my arse. And I have to go through all the same damn parading I did with Dad. And everything just got so much worse for you and I am so sorry about that" Tears drop off Henry's face and onto his suit. "This is going to fuck up everything. They're going to want me to be married yesterday and I can not ask you to give up everything you have ever wanted for me. I can not let you. This means I am going to lose Phillip and you and Mum are going to go melancholy again and I'll lose her. And then there is nothing-" Alex gently grabs Henry's face and pulls him in for a soft kiss. 

"I, Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz, am not going anywhere. I am going to be with you forever and if that means marrying you then you could propose with a Ring Pop for all I care. I am here for the long haul Henry. I love you, not your title whatever it may be." They lean their foreheads together. 

"But Alex, you can't give up everything you have worked for me."

Alex remembers what Cash told him, "You are not going to be king tomorrow and I am not leaving you. Understand?"

"Yeah." 

Alex reaches into his pocket and grabs the pile of napkins he stashed there for this moment. Henry blows his nose into it.

"Okay. On a lighter note, June is dog sitting David and is sending me videos of him running around the White House."

"Doesn't your country have a tradition of dogs in the White House?"

"See it was destiny." 

They spend the rest of the flight curled up in each other's arms treasuring every quiet second together before they land. 

  
  
  



	2. Consign Me Not To Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry and Alex arrive back in England.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I will not be near a computer tomorrow night. So I am putting this into the world a day early. Enjoy!
> 
> Also thank you all for your super kind comments on the last chapter!

Alex and Henry make it back to Kensington Palace in more peace than expected. There is a crowd of paparazzi outside the gates, but both are thankful for the heavily tinted windows that allow them to stay tucked away in the back. 

Henry pushes open the door to his and Bea's apartment. Alex had insisted on wheeling their bags himself and drags them in. His shoelace gets caught under one of the wheels causing him to nearly trip directly into Henry who is stumbling backward due to Beatrice wrapping herself in a hug around him. 

"You should be in bed," Henry mumbles into her neck. 

"Someone needed to be here when you got back."

Alex untangles his shoe and heads toward the bedroom, giving the siblings some space. Before he can get far, Bea lifts her head up and catches him. "Get back here, Alex." 

"I figured you two would want a minute." He says letting go of the bags and walking back toward Bea and Henry. 

"You're getting a hug too." She pulls Alex into a much less aggressive hug. "There."

"How are you doing Bea?" Henry's tone is serious, heavy.

She looks back at her brother. "Fine, I guess. All things considered."

"It's okay to be upset," Henry says.

"Yeah, pain demands to be felt and all that stuff. I know." She pauses. "It's just this is the worst possible thing that could have happened. Mum shouldn't have to bury him and now you have to deal with all of this." She gestures vaguely to the room. "Mum and you have much more to deal with right now."

"He was still your brother though," Alex observes. 

"I know and I miss him so much." 

Alex notices her eyes blinking a tear out. She is barely holding this stiff exterior in place. Henry sees it too and pulls her into another hug. "It will be okay, Bea." 

"It is all so horrid." She says into his hair. "Mum is withdrawn. Gran is on the warpath over you. And I cannot fix them both." 

Alex takes this as his moment to leave and wheels the suitcases into Henry's room gently closing the door behind him. Slowly he starts to unpack Henry's suitcase first, so he won't have to do it. 

Alex is interrupted from putting the last of Henry’s clothes away by his phone ringing. 

"Hi, June." He answers holding his phone to his ear with his shoulder. 

"I am here with Mom." She says followed by a slightly quieter "Hello, honey.” 

"How are you and Henry holding up?" His mom asks. 

Alex keeps moving around putting his clothes away. "I'm fine. Henry seems okay, for now."

"If there is anything we can do let us know." 

"Mom could offer him asylum." June pipes in trying to lighten the mood. 

"That wouldn't be politically advantageous. We'll know more tomorrow. Today? I guess today."

"Be easy with yourself, Alex." His mom reminds him gently. 

"I will. I just don't like not knowing what's going to happen."

On the other end of the phone, there is a knock on a door. 

"Open!" June yells. 

Alex pauses his unpacking trying to listen to the person at the door. 

"Have you heard from Alex yet?" a distant voice says. 

His mom speaks, "he is on the phone right now, Nora."

"Hi, Nora." Alex rubs his hand across his neck trying to get out a kink from holding the phone. "What are the chances we get through this week in one piece?"

"Uhhh, 85%"

"What's the 15%?" His family can feel the exhaustion that drips off his voice.

"World-ending event, the Queen sticks MI-6 on you..." 

"Great." Alex deadpans. "Any other numbers?"

"Your dad is polling 25 points ahead in his reelection campaign."

"Today will certainly change that."

"Mom booked Vogue again," June adds in an attempt to stop the conversation from getting sadder.

"Congrats Mom."

"Oh please. That isn't what we should be focusing on." 

"Have you started prepping the PowerPoint lecture I am no doubt getting when I come back?"

"It's not a lecture, but we will need to have a long talk when this is over. Do not worry about that though. Focus on getting through the next week."

"Okay, Mom. I miss y'all."

There are three 'miss you too' said at the same time. Alex hangs up the phone a few minutes later. He puts away the last of the clothes before kicking off most of his suit, leaving only his undershirt and pants. Alex climbs up on the bed and unlocks his phone. Less than a minute later he locks the screen. He continues unlocking his phone, seeing the news, and locking it again. Every minute Alex seems to realize just how screwed he and Henry are. Things were going incredibly. They were so happy and now they are back in London and every future plan has gone up in smoke. 

Henry walks into the room, yanking Alex from his thoughts. He just slides onto the enormous bed and curls up next to Alex who runs his fingers through the other's hair. 

Eventually, Alex realizes Henry is fast asleep, still in his suit. Carefully, Alex shimmies out from beneath him. The bed creaks beneath him as he slides off the edge. He can only guess how much Henry will need his rest tomorrow. Alex unties his boyfriend’s shoes and takes them off his feet. He then walks over to the large walk-in closet and slowly opens the door. The door is heavy. Tiptoeing in, Alex grabs a spare blanket. Leaving the door open, Alex gets out of his dress pants. His hand is wrapped around the belt buckle so it does not make a sound as he sets the pants on the ground. Alex then crosses back across the room, turns the light off, and crawls back into bed with the blanket. 

Henry wakes up first to find Bea's head poking in the door to his room. Here eyes are more sunken than unusual. 

"Mum's here for breakfast." Bea's voice is flat, careful.

"We'll be out there in a few." She nods closing the door behind her as she leaves. 

The voices cause Alex to blink awake groggily. "What's going on?"

"Mum's here for breakfast."

"Oh." Alex sits up pulling the covers off. He crinkles his nose. "We both need to shower." 

"Agreed."

Ten minutes later both emerge cleaned up and dressed. Alex's curls still occasionally drip water onto his shoulders

"Henry," Catherine says, patting the seat next to her. 

Alex walks over to the kitchen where Bea is standing next to the coffee maker. Henry had one added to the apartment not long after they became official. Bea quickly took to it, choosing it over tea every morning. Henry may have called her a traitor the first time he saw her use the machine. She passes him a cup as soon as he reaches her. 

"I felt horrible waking him up this morning." 

"He passed out as soon as he reached the bed last night." Bea hmms in acknowledgment and pours another cup of coffee. "What time is it?"

"8 am."

If Bea woke them up that means she got less sleep than them. "What time did you get up?" 

Bea shrugs. "There's a reason I am standing vigil at the coffee maker." She takes a sip of her drink. Black, Alex notices. "Let's get back to them."

Alex follows Bea into the other room and takes a seat around the small breakfast table with Catherine and Henry, who are sitting in a heavy quiet. goodbyes

The food is brought up and no one speaks the entire time. Alex and Bea keep catching each other's eyes both wondering if they should say anything. 

Mercifully, the meal eventually ends and Catherine leaves with a few goodbyes and see you laters. 

"Henry, what did she say?" Bea asks as soon as her mother is gone. Alex places a comforting hand on Henry's thigh under the table. 

"Gran wants to talk to me, in an hour." Henry doesn't meet either of their eyes. "Also we are leaving for the viewing at half eleven."

"Do you want me to go with you to see your Gran?" Alex asks.

"No. Mum said I should go alone. Fuck."

"It is nice to hear you swear, break the programming," Bea notes as she walks behind Henry and wraps her arms around him. "Don't let Gran bully you again. You have power now. If she tries anything with you and Alex, threaten to leave. Make her choose between the much-beloved gay son and an addict. She will back down."

"You're not an addict... not anymore."

"That's not how the people see it and they love you."

"Baby, I am sure Nora will give you a full rundown of your approval ratings if you want?" Alex offers half-seriously to Henry. 

"No. She started to do that once and I got lost." Henry stands up again. "Gran has to be scared, right? She has to know I do not want this." 

Alex looks at Henry thinking back to the terrified boy he met 4 years ago. Now he is debating walking away from Queen and Country if his Grandma does not respect him. Secretly, though, Alex questions how brave Henry will be once he is in the room with her. He would never dare say it. 

Henry and Bea finish getting ready to go to Westminster Hall before Henry leaves to go meet with his Grandma. 

Alex and Bea sit perched on the back of the couch balancing more coffee in their laps. It lulls into an easy silence before Bea asks, "has Henry talked to you about abdicating?"

"A couple of times, but not since Phillip..." 

She takes a thoughtful pause, "do you think he will?"

"I- I don't know. Being King is the last thing he wants. I know he wants a family and wants to raise kids as far away from this as possible. If his Gran tries to force him to do anything, I think he will."

"He really loves you, Alex. Last night when I asked about how he felt about taking the throne, he only talked about you. He was fine giving up his dreams, but not letting you give up yours." 

"A future with Henry is my dream." 

"I think he is worried that you will grow to resent him. You have spent your whole life working for a career, you wouldn't be able to have, in a completely different continent."

"Yeah, I know." Alex looks down into his coffee, trying to devise answers from nonexistent tea leaves. "I just love him too much." Alex has thought about this even before Henry became next in line. He thinks he is willing to give up on running for office for Henry. He wishes he could be sure. Just as Henry will not ask Alex to give up his dreams; Alex can not ask Henry to give up his family for him. 

"Well, I might be 2nd in line by the end of the hour."

"Oh shit.” Alex rockets his head up cursing himself for not fully realizing. “I didn't even think. If Henry abdicates it is your turn."

"I would not be for very long." She says swirling her coffee around the teacup it sits in.

"You would step back?"

"The people don't like me much. Gran would probably make me pass it on to Aunt Elizabeth."

"I think you would make a great queen. As for people not liking you, I know some great PR people. We could fix that if you wanted." 

Bea smiles. "Do you offer everyone a Nora briefing?"

"Only the people I care about.” Bea’s cheeks flush pink as she hides her smile with the teacup “I think people just need to get to know you better. You are pretty amazing. "

"Thank you" There is a slight pause in the conversation until Bea shoots her head up unexpectedly. 

"What?"

"Nothing." She remarks quickly. "I shouldn't."

"Say it."

"It is simply in a hypothetical world,” she starts, “if Henry and you got married and he became King. There would be a gay, Hispanic, prince from Texas. Every single one of my ancestors would roll in their graves." Bea smiles at the thought. 

"George the Third would come for me in my sleep."

"Such a perfect fuck you, like reverse colonization."

"You know the American education system teaches us to kinda hate y'all."

"You clearly missed that lesson

"Yeah, clearly." Alex finishes jokingly, sipping his coffee out of a teacup. 

It creeps closer and closer to eleven-thirty and Henry still hasn't returned to the apartment. Bea is pacing the apartment, peeking out the window, fluffing pillows, lazily swinging an ornamental sword. Alex is standing well past sword length's away constantly checking the time on his phone. 

The sound of a door handle turning causes them both to whip their heads up and turn around. Henry stands in the door, his jaw tight. He walks in going directly to Alex pulling him into a hug. He feels Henry's muscles tense under his suit. Alex looks to the door frame where Shaan is standing trying to get a read on the situation. Shaan gives him nothing. 

"What did she say?" Alex asks as Henry pulls back. 

"So much. I do not want to get into it again."

"But what did you say?" Bea asks, flicking the sword up against her shoulder. 

"I may have said, ‘If she had a problem with me or Alex, you would be great for the job. If she lived long enough to see it.’"

"You did not!" Bea says."

"I did. I even walked out after."

"Oh my god. Alex is rubbing off on you." 

"I am proud of you," Alex says pulling Henry in for a gentle kiss. 

"Thank you." 

Shaan steps forward clearly hating his current job, "It is time to leave for the viewing." 

Alex watches Henry's shoulders drop and his eyes gently close for a moment. "Okay." 

The viewing at Westminster is for family only, leaving Alex alone in the apartment. He had tried finishing his final paper but grew frustrated when he couldn't focus on any of the cases he needed to write about. His phone buzzes with a text. 

PREZZY PEZ

* * *

PREZZY PEZ

Are you at Kensington?

Yeah. Henry is at the church

PREZZY PEZ 

I am aware. Would you like me to come stare at walls with you?

Misery loves company.

Twenty minutes later Pez is walking through the door. His long black jacket blows behind him as he walks. "Hey, Alex," 

Alex turns around from the window he was looking out. "Have you eaten yet?" Pez holds up a brown bag. "I have Mediterranean."half-seriously

Alex thanks him and moves his abandoned school work from the coffee table. Pez passes him a take-out container. 

"Did June tell you to check on me?" Alex asks half-seriously. 

"How dare you think that I would not reach out to my girlfriend's-brother-slash-best friend's-boyfriend when he has been abandoned at Kensington?" Pes laments, "But, yes, she did." 

Alex smiles into his food. "Henry is going to be gone for all afternoon."

"A whole afternoon apart what will you do with yourself?"

"I was trying to finish the last assignment I have for law school, but really I was just pacing and trying not to check the news." 

"The press is not saying anything new. Well except that your absence means no one proposed yet."

"I hate the media sometimes. His brother died and they're focusing on how we are still just dating."

"People are very invested in you." 

"Yeah, I know." Alex changes the topic. "Where did you get this food? It is very good."

"A little place in an alley by Piccadilly. Run by an old Greek man and his grandson." 

Alex nods in response, not able to think of anything to add. "Have you seen these videos of David June's been taking?"

"I have only gotten photos."

"Zahra keeps a pair of flats under her desk and somehow David found them."

"Oh no," Pez says, realizing where this is going. 

"Oh yes." Alex unlocks his phone and pulls up the video. It is shaky. Zahra is chasing the beagle through the halls of the White House. She bolts past confused staffers. June is running after them and yelling at David to keep going.

"Did she get the shoe back?" Pez asks.

"I don't know. I like to think David won." 

"June is worried about you."

"I know. I should text her." Alex leans back against the couch. "I just don't have answers to the questions she is going to ask."

"Seeing what happened outside the brownstone scared her."

"It was scary. We didn't find out what happened till every major news network was out there."

"The picture of Henry in the window..."

"Yeas right before I told him." 

"People can be monsters." Pez finishes his food and snaps the lid. "How did Henry take the news?"

"Better than I expected, but that might have been because of the crowd outside. He seems more upset that they will never have a good relationship now."

Pez lays down on the couch flicking one leg up in the air before setting it down on the other knee. "I never spent much time with Martha, but she was always nice."

"I didn't know her much either." Alex copies Pez, laying down on the couch. "And I am pretty sure Phillip always blamed me because of what happened."

"He definitely did. Got better at hiding it, but he hated you." 

"Thanks, Pez." Alex deadpans looking up at the ceiling. 

"I am not going to lie just because he is dead, sweetheart. I hate it when people do that. Phillip never liked American politics and suddenly every problem in his family is put in the spotlight because of it."

"Politics are so much less aggressive over here."

"But the press is worse. Also aren't you Mister Future President?"

"I don't know what I am anymore. Can't exactly run for Senate when my boyfriend is going to be king."

"You two will figure this out. I have no doubt. Henry and you are made for each other. ‘You're endgame,’ as June says."

"My sister says Henry and I are endgame?" Alex says amusedly. "That’s funny. She really likes you Pez."

" Dear God, I would hope so."

"I am being serious. I know you two are often flying to opposites of the country, but when you guys are together she is like a completely different person, a happier person."

"I- Thank you, Alex." 

"No prob." 

They lay there just talking for a couple more hours until Bea and Henry finally walk in. Bea is carrying her heels and tosses them against the wall when she enters. She then walks over to one of the empty chairs and practically collapses into it. 

Alex sits up and Henry plops down next to him. "You two look exhausted," Pez notes. 

"There was too much," Henry responds leaning his head on Alex's shoulder. 

"It just didn't stop," Bea adds. "At first it was nice, just us and Martha's family. And then it felt like every person I have ever met in my life showed up and wanted to talk to me." Bea leans her head against the back of the chair, looking up at the ceiling. 

"I haven't seen most of them in years," Henry adds. "You and Pez must have had a better time than us; what did you do all day?"

"Talked, I guess."

"Henry, did you know your boyfriend thinks that Thor 1 is better than Ragnarok?"

Alex opens his jaw, "Hey!"

"Alex," Bea says, not moving her head to look at any of them. "You are wrong. Horrendously wrong."

"I have to agree with Bea, love."

"I am betrayed." He says dramatically. "Well, Pez liked Suicide Squad." 

"Are we still talking about Suicide Squad?" Bea starts looking at them. "It has almost been a decade." 

"To clarify the record, I said 'I think it had a lot of potential and was not as bad as people made it out to be.'" 

"I agree with Pez," Henry says.

"I am wounded again," Alex replies. 

Bea climbs to her feet and sluggishly walks to the kitchen. She emerges a moment later holding a whole pot of coffee and four precariously balanced teacups. 

"Bea, I love you." Henry sits up and is grabbing a teacup as soon as she sets it down. 

"I am going to get you guys mugs," Alex says as he picks up a cup. 

"Get those absolutely huge ones I've seen in the States. Would love to drink coffee out of those." Pez starts dispensing the coffee. 

“Alex uses one every morning.” Henry pipes in. Alex knows exactly which mug he is talking off. It is massive and says ‘No One Knows I’m Gay’ in the biggest font possible on it. Nora got it for him as a Christmas gift many years ago. 

“You don’t need to say it.” Alex jokes. 

"Sweetheart, we are all aware you have a caffeine addiction.” Pez pours coffee into Alex’s cup. 

Henry's eyes catch the pile of papers on top of Alex's computer. "Did you get your paper done?"

"Not yet. I have another day." 

"How much longer are you in school for?" Bea asks.

"Two weeks."

"We'll have to come celebrate." She says. "You can show me all those secret spots I see online." 

Alex does not know what comes over him. Suddenly he smiles and starts mimicking Stefan from SNL. "New New York's hottest club is Slice. It had everything: glass, bear traps, human bathmats, furkes-" Alex finally notices the very confused faces looking at him. Why did he think they would know that bit? "Uh nevermind. Yeah, we can go out." 

Henry laughs first and then very quickly all of them are laughing. 

"What the fuck was that?" Pez asks between breaths for air. 

They calm down slightly and Alex can get a few words out. "An SNL bit." 

"I needed that." Bea wipes her eyes. "Please do more."

"No way. Absolutely not." Alex feels Henry's chest still shake with laughter against him. 

The coffee and laughter help clear the air around the room. No one talks of the viewing or the upcoming funeral. Pez eventually decides to head back to his own apartment and Bea turns in early. Alex and Henry sit in the living room. It's dim. None of them decided to turn the lights on after the sunset. 

The two of them sit in comfortable silence for quite a while. Alex is scrolling through his phone when he notices his neck starts to feel damp. He shifts, dislodging Henry from his shoulder. Henry looks up at Alex with his eyes wet and swollen. Alex grabs him, pulling him into a hug, wrapping him like a blanket. His breathing gets more rapid and Alex can hear the sounds of Henry's sobs. "I miss him," Henry mumbles against Alex's chest. "Why do I miss him?" 

Alex rubs Henry's back gently. "He was your brother. It's okay."

"It's not fair. None of this is fair. He and Martha shouldn't be gone." 

Alex gently shhs, trying to calm Henry down. A couple of minutes later his breathing steadies and Henry looks up at Alex. Catching Alex's eyes makes Henry cry harder. "It is okay to miss him. Don't feel bad for being upset."

"I just don't know what to do." 

"I don't think anyone does." Alex wipes Henry's cheek with his thumb. 

"I- I don't know." Henry drags his face across his jacket sleeve. "Can we go to bed?" His voice is softer than a whisper. 

"Of course." Alex takes Henry's hand as they stand up. 

Once they are both changed, under the covers, and bathed in darkness Henry speaks. "She wants to talk to you."

"Your Gran?"

"Yeah. I am not leaving her alone with you-"

"Henry, you don-"

"No. I want to hear whatever she says to you. I am not letting her use our relationship against you. We are going to do this together."

"Together?"

"Together." 

The next two days are a formal grieving period meaning Bea and Henry have their schedules completely clear. Alex is on a couch putting the finishing touches on his paper. Henry is across from him reading a different version of Pride and Prejudice with Mr. Wobbles in his lap. The whole scene feels like deja vu. Two days ago they were doing this exact same thing on a different continent. They were carefree. There was no sword dangling over their heads. Thinking of that morning brings Alex to his feet. He walks over to Henry, tilts his head out of the book, and kisses him. 

“Did you finish your work?” Henry closes the book and gently moves Mr. Wobbles off his lap.

“Not yet. Almost though.”

“So you are slacking?” Henry asks amusedly.

“You make it hard to focus sometimes.” It doesn’t come out sexually. It is more as if Alex is simply stating a fact. 

“Maybe I can help. What are you writing about?”

“Friedman v. Rogers.”

“Nevermind. I haven’t the faintest clue of what that is.”

“Optometry.” Alex kisses him again.

“Your final paper for law school is on optometry?”

“Amongst other things, yes.” 

“Let me see those gorgeous eyes.” Henry pulls Alex’s chin closer. Their lips graze each other carefully. 

Alex’s phone starts to vibrate against the solid oak table resulting in both of them jumping apart. Alex reaches over and grabs it seeing the caller ID. 

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hey Honey, hope I am not interrupting,” Ellen says on the other end.

“You are not interrupting anything,” Alex says looking directly at Henry with a smile. “What is going on?”

“I just wanted to let you know that Leo and I are flying in tomorrow night.”

“Really?” Alex asks.

“Yes. We should land around 8 pm your time.”

“Okay, I will see you two then. Bye, Mom.”

“Love you.”

Alex hangs up, setting the phone back on the table. “My mom is flying in for the funeral tomorrow night.”

“A perk of her being the president, I suppose,” Henry observes with a slight smile. “Technically I am not allowed to leave the palace until then. Have her come here, it has been so long since I have seen your parents.”

“You want to hang out with my parents?”

“Alex, I love your family.” With that, the boys resume where they left off before the phone call. 

  
  



	3. Our Choices Seal Our Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got to drive to a DMV 2 hours away tomorrow to take my road test. So this is once again arriving a day early. Maybe I should just switch to Mondays?

Early morning light streams through the windows casting the space in a warm glow. Alex keeps trying to catch glimpses of the rays bouncing off Henry's hair. He gives up when Henry steps out of the path to grab his belt off of the bed. 

"I can not believe she is doing this now. Pip's funeral is tomorrow and she is more worried about our relationship." Henry aggressively laces the belt.

"Maybe it's better to just get it over with."

"No. She doesn't want us to go back to America before doing wherever this is." Alex slides his arms across Henry's middle from behind. He gently grabs the belt buckles and closes it. 

"We won't know what's going to happen until we get there, babe."

"I can feel the sword of Damocles over our heads and I do not like it."

"I know, I know." Alex places a kiss on Henry's cheek. "But let's not make things worse and be late." 

Henry spins around and pulls Alex's face into his. Their lips smash together and fall into a familiar position. "I love you."

"I love you too." 

Bea wishes them luck on the way out. Shaan and Cash are standing in the hallway waiting for them. Alex and Henry keep their hands tightly laced all the way to the queen's office. Shaan and Cash walk steadily behind them the entire way. They stop outside the door to her office. "Ready?" Alex asks.

"As I will ever be."

Two of the guards at the door open them and announce their names to the Queen who does not look up from her desk. 

"I do not recall inviting you, Henry." She finally looks at them. 

"Seeing as this involves both of us, I figured my attendance would be useful."

She gestures to the two chairs in front of her desk and both boys sit, letting go of each other's hands. "How long do you two intend to keep this rouse going?" The Queen cuts right to the point.

Alex speaks up, "I am confused as to what you mean?"

"You're relationship with my grandson. When do you intend to end it?"

"Never, hopefully."

"So you have plans to wed?"

Henry and Alex turn to look at each other. Alex takes a deep breath before answering. "I would not say plans, but I intend to live the rest of my life with him." 

"Henry will be King. Continuing this courtship will come at a great personal sacrifice, Mr. Claremont-Diaz. Any political intentions you have in America must be stopped immediately. Ideally, your entire family's political action stops. The Crown must remain neutral in all matters-"

"-Gran"

"-With all due respect, my family is not dating Henry. Neither one of us has any say in what my parents or sister do in their own careers." 

"You will not put this institution at risk by involving yourself with international politics. As for America, a continued life there is simply unacceptable. Henry is to be King. He needs to be home and since both of you are committed to this relationship, England must be your full-time residence as well Mr. Claremont-Diaz."

"Is there the necessity for me to return home immediately?" Henry asks. 

"Yes. You must show the people that this is where you want to be. That England comes first."

"What if we return by February?" Alex offers.

"That is far too long."

"Actually February makes perfect sense." Henry pipes up. "Your mom will be out of office and we will have time to tie any unfinished threads." 

"Nonetheless, it is far too long. A complete return by the holidays and no trips to America for at least a year afterward." The boys look at each other as if trying to communicate telepathically, each reading the other’s face.

Alex answers. "Okay." 

The queen looks down at her desk, clearly reading off of a list. "Now there is the matter of religion. The Church of England will not accept a homosexual union." 

"What does that mean?"

"Any civil union made between you two would not be recognized by the church. When Henry is made head of the church any number of issues will arise. The church may try and reject your authority."

"Can they do that?" Henry asks.

"There is no precedent here. Even if the Church changes its stance on homosexuality, there is still the issue of Mr. Claremont-Diaz not being Anglican." She turns to Alex, "what religion are you?"

"My mom is Baptist and my dad Catholic."

"Yes, but what religion are you?"

"Agnostic, I guess."

"I suppose it is a blessing you did not choose your father's faith."

"What's wrong with being Catholic?" Alex catches Henry pinching the bridge of his nose as he asks. 

"A future head of the Church of England marrying a Catholic simply will not do. We will work with the angle that you are Baptist. I will have someone contact the Archbishop so that you may be initiated immediately after your return to England."

“Is that necessary?” Henry asks.

“Unless you tell me right now that you have stopped this courtship, you two will be engaged within the year. There needs to be stability in the Crown after your brother’s passing. The people want to know who will be taking power. Four years is a perfectly acceptable time for courtship. You already are living together. Both of you have constantly reiterated that you intend to stay together for the rest of your lives. It is time to grow up and make it official. Understood?” They both nod. “I honestly do hope this gamble you two are engaged in works out in your favor. That is all for now. We will be seeing much more of each other Mr. Claremont-Diaz.”

They walk out the door to see Cash and Shaan waiting for them. Once they are out of earshot of the Queen’s door Cash asks, “how did it go?”

“Uhhhh,” Alex tries to think of the right word. “fine?”

They walk up to the door of Henry's apartment and stop short. The sound of laughter and metal clanging come through the door. “What on Earth is going on in there?” Henry pushes open the door. 

“I have the high ground!” Bea announces from the chair she is standing on. She holds the same sword from two nights ago out to her side. Pez is standing in front of her laughing with a different sword on his shoulder. 

“You got another one?!” 

“Oh hello,” She jumps down. “Pez is here.”

“You have to stop stealing the swords. Someone is going to notice.”

“They’re useless on the walls. This is the most action they’ve seen in decades.” She tosses the sword on the couch. Alex realizes that Bea was just swinging a sword that was probably older than Hawaii around. “Not to be a downer, but this came for Alex.” She walks over to the breakfast table and picks up a binder. “Welcome to the family.” She says putting it in his hands. 

He looks down at the binders cover ‘Official Etiquette Guide for Members of the Royal Family.’ Right below the title in big letters is confidential. 

“She is trying to intimidate you.” Henry grabs the binder. 

“It can not be that bad.” 

“Hen, show him the jeans page.” Bea smiles. 

“The jeans page?” Alex takes the binder back. 

“A whole page listing every possible scenario and whether you can and can not wear jeans.” Henry sighs. His arm slides across Alex’s back pulling him close. 

“That can’t possibly be-” Henry flips to the page. “Oh my god, it’s real.” 

“Ties gets two pages.” Bea collects both swords and walks away to put them in her room. 

“Do not worry about this.” Henry closes the book and slides it behind a couch cushion as if that will make it go away. “You are doing great.” 

Pez throws himself across Henry’s shoulders, “But he’s an American.” He starts in jest, “They’re indecent.” 

“I am well aware of how indecent Alex can be.”

“Pray tell.” Pez shakes his shoulders when he says it, Henry’s hand sneaks down, grabbing the cushion he just hid the binder behind. It immediately makes contact with Pez’s face. He stumbles back falling to the ground. “He protecc” Alex offers out a hand that Pez takes. 

“Why is Pez on the ground?” Bea asks rejoining the room. 

“I was being indecent.” 

“Henry hit you for being indecent. That is a bit hypocritical don’t you think?”

“What are you talking about?” Henry looks genuinely confused as he puts the cushion back. 

“These old walls are not as thick as you might think.” Alex immediately goes red and turns his face away from Bea. “Awe look Pez, he blushed.” 

Henry stands their eyes wide. “Why did you never say anything?”

“Because it never bothered me. Sex is a completely natural part of-”

“Please stop.” Bea shrugs in response and walks over toward the kitchen. 

“Hen, have I ever told you that I love your sister.” Pez sits on the armrest reaching out and pulling out the binder. “Show Alex the sex page?”

“The sex page?” Alex walks over and stands behind Pez looking over his shoulder. 

“That is enough.” Henry takes the book back. 

“Awee Alex your boyfriend is a buzzkill.” 

“I hate this fucking binder, you know I hate this binder, and seeing one handed to him-” Alex gets up and slides his hand across his boyfriend’s waist. “I simply do not like it okay?”

“Yeah okay. Sorry mate.” 

Henry walks over to the balcony just as Bea comes back from the kitchen. “Please tell me you are going to toss that horrid thing all the way into Hyde Park.” 

Henry opens the balcony door and sends the binder sliding across the rough pavement of the balcony. It slams up against the railing. “There.” Henry closes the door behind him sternly.

“You two had just met with Gran, didn’t you?” Bea jumps over the couch landing in the seat next to Pez.

“Yes.” Henry walks back and sits across from Bea and Pez. 

“It wasn’t that bad,” Alex says as he takes the seat next to Henry. “Think I gave Henry a heart attack when I asked what was so bad about being Catholic.”

“So you did notice that.” 

“Uh yeah.”

Bea speaks up, “you’re Catholic?”

“No, my dad is.”

“This is what bugs me.” Henry states.” Why should it matter what religion your father is? Why are people still obsessed with something that happened centuries ago?”

“Is she making you change teams?” Pez asks Alex.

“Yeah. I really don’t care though. We only went to church when Mom was up for election or Dad brought us along” 

“Isn’t the whole point of America, no church in politics?” Bea asks genuinely.

“Not in Texas.” 

Three light knocks on the door grab the room’s attention. Henry stands up and walks over to it. Catherine stands on the other side of the door. Alex realizes this is the first time he has seen her since the awkward breakfast 2 days ago. “Hi, Mum.” It comes out stilted and awkward as if Henry doesn’t know what to say. He opens the door completely and she steps in. 

“How are you all doing?” She asks. All four of them all say some form of alright. “I wanted to see you. I know I have not been-”

“Mum” Bea interrupts, “it's fine. Sit.” She pats the spot on the couch next to her. Catherine takes a seat and Henry returns to his spot. 

“Is everything okay?” Henry asks. 

“I-'' she starts stopping to find her words, “I could not stand another moment just sitting around.” She looks at Bea and Henry. “I am glad you two are not alone. I despise this part of it. The waiting, I mean. After your father died, the sitting around, suddenly alone, was unbearable. I do not want to do that again.”

“You can come by whenever you want Mum. We are simply down the hall.” 

“It is a rather long hall” Bea adds, “but we are here.”

“Thank you.” Her voice is solemn and genuine. Bea and her lace hands. Catherine shifts in her seat turning her attention to Alex. “How is your sister?”

“Good. Working as hard as ever.” His warm smile shows just how proud he is of her.

“Pez, are you and her still together?”

“Last I checked.”

“I am happy for you two.” The conversation pauses and Alex is briefly worried it will turn into another awkward breakfast. Thankfully, his panic is short-lived as Catherine continues, “Now if Beatrice could find someone-”

“Mum I am fine.”

“We just want you to be happy. Do you agree boys?” They all nod with varying smiles of wickedness. 

“Does the next president also have any more absurdly attractive children?” Pez asks Alex.

“There is Lillian, but I highly doubt her dad will get the nomination.” 5 states have their primaries this Tuesday Alex remembers. He makes a mental note not to completely forget. 

“I guess you are destined to wait another 4 years.”

“I’ll be a proper spinster by then.” Bea jokes causing a smile to creep across her mom’s face. 

“We could auction you off,” Henry offers.

“Not all of us find their soulmate at twenty-two.”

Catherine sits up, “You know, that is how old I was when I met your father. Interesting.” 

“So who did I date when I was twenty-two?” Bea thinks for a moment. “Nevermind. There are no soulmates in that group of idiots.”

Her mom turns to face her. “It will happen when it is supposed to.” 

“Thanks, Mum.”

“You might have to put in a little work though,” Catherine adds as she faces back toward the group causing them all to smile. 

“We will find you, someone when you come to New York.” Henry offers.

“Oh God,” Catherine starts with amusement in her voice. “Please not another American or at least wait until Mum is no longer in charge.”

“So all I need is to date an American for you to make her retire? Someone call Nora.”

“That is not what I said.” Catering bites her lip for the briefest moment before the years of training kick in and she stops. “I was going to have a talk with her before you were set to return in the summer.”

“Mum were you actually-” Henry leans forward and Alex sliding a comforting hand up his spine. 

“Her mind is not what it once was, Henry” Catherine’s chest rises with a deep heavy breath. “I am not sure if I should do it now though.”

“Why?” There is a sadness twinging Henry’s voice.

“Because if I become Queen, you are now heir apparent.” She reaches her other hand out to Henry who grabs it. “I want you to have as much time away from this as I can give you.”

“Mum I am running from Gran, not you. Never you.” Henry’s blue eyes gloss over. “I would want to come back.”

“I am so proud of you.” She turns to Bea. “Both of you.” Henry gets up to wrap his arms tightly around his mom. Bea joins in. Alex is pretty sure each of them are crying. Catherine lifts her head up and looks at Alex and Pez. “Join us. My children consider you family and so do I.” Alex and Pez form an outer layer of the warm emotional hug. 

When they all pull apart, Catherine looks at each of them with a mixture of joy and relief. “I can not think of a better group of young people to leave the world too.” 

8 o’clock approaches and Henry’s mum is still there asking the two of them about all the weird and interesting people they must meet in New York.

“Mum, we are the weird and interesting people.” 

“I think she means like Subway Rat and those in Times Square, babe,” Alex adds. 

“Yes. I have been to New York City many times, but never Times Square.”

“Do not go near Elmo.” 

“It is the Mickey Mouse who terrifies me,” Henry notes. 

“But what of fat Spiderman?” Pez adds right as the sound of a couple knocks come from the front door. 

Bea stands up to get it, “Hell-”

“MOM!” Alex yells as the door opens just past her face. He immediately pulls her into a tight embrace. 

“June!” Pez copies, jumping up off the couch to kiss her. 

“David!” A leash slips off of June’s wrist causing the beloved beagle to run directly into Henry’s lap. Henry buries his face in David’s fur. 

Bea, still standing by the door and watching the chaos unfold, turns to Leo. “Hi, I’m Bea.” She sticks out her hand.

“Leo,” He shakes it. “Sorry about your brother.”

“Thank you.” 

Alex lets go of his mother and walks over to steal June from her boyfriend. 

Ellen turns to Catherine, who was standing smiling at the several reunions. “Your Royal Highness,” She greets, bowing her head. “I am sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, Madame President.” 

“I have said before you must call me Ellen.”

“Only if you call me Catherine. The familiarity is earned.” They all settle down in the living room. Pez and June go to grab more chairs from the dining room, taking a longer time than expected. 

“I hope we are not interrupting anything?” Ellen asks the group. 

“Your son was about to inform me of the perils of Time Square Elmo.”

“Do not go near any of them,” Leo says as he grabs a chair from June. 

“I will keep that in mind. How are things in America?” Alex looks at his mom and knows she will not say the truth. Regardless he tries to find it in her face. Finishing school and having to come to England have left him feeling disconnected from everything back home. 

“Busy. It is an election year after all.” Her smile is hesitant, having a son who is dating the next king of England must not be going over well. 

“You are not running, correct?”

“Oh god no. In January I am officially retired.”

“You will have to spend some of your newfound free-time with us in Scotland next year.”

“I would love to.” 

“All of you are welcome to join, of course.” Alex finds himself smiling at the idea of everyone on vacation together. “Balmoral is beautiful in July.”

They talk for another hour before everyone decides to call it a night. Ellen and Leo head back to their hotel, while June decides to stay at Pez’s apartment. Henry takes Alex’s hand leading him into their bedroom. “I am so excited for vacation in Scotland.” There is joy in Alex’s voice.

The door closes behind them and Henry turns to Alex. Their faces inches apart. “Mums going to be Queen.” The smile on Henry’s face fills Alex with warmth. “That means we are free.”

“She is not Queen, yet.” 

“But she will be! That whole binder is gone.”

“There are still things we shouldn’t do and what your Gran said about the chu-” Henry kisses him quickly. 

“Shut up. We do not have to get married.”

“Do you not want to get married?” 

The question clearly catches Henry off guard. “What? Of course, I do. I want to be about to do it on our terms, not my Grandmothers.” Henry leans in closer. “We can just be ourselves. Like we are in New York. I love you so much, Alex.”

“I love you too, Henry.” They push their foreheads together smiling. 


	4. So Hold My Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back to Tuesdays  
> Thank you guys so much for all of the comments!!!!!! They give me so much motivation to keep going with this!
> 
> Anyways....  
> CW Panic Attack

As soon as Alex opens his eyes he knows something is wrong. The covers have been ripped off him and were in a heap at the foot of the bed. The room was still pitch black. Most importantly the calm dependable breaths of Henry sleeping were missing. Alex sits up fast at the realization and looks around the room begging his eyes to properly adjust. "Henry?" Alex asks, climbing out of bed and hurrying to turn the light on. Before he reaches the switch Alex notices short labored breathing from the bathroom. Turning on the lights becomes much less important as Alex hurries up to the bathroom door. He pauses a moment before slowly pulling it open. "Henry?" 

Henry sits on the cold tile floor of the bathroom. His back pushed up against the tub. His knees are pulled up to his chin. His arms are wrapped around them tightly. He doesn't look up as Alex kneels down in front of him. "Hey, baby, can you hear me?" This is not the first time Alex has found Henry like this. Every time it scares the shit out of him. Henry doesn't acknowledge his voice. Carefully, Alex reaches his hand up to Henry’s cheek. He slowly guides Henry's face upward. His eyes are wide, frantic, and puffed up with irritation. "There you are. Can you hear me now?" Henry nods. Alex's hand still cradles his chin. "Good. Can you tell me what you see?"

Henry's chest shudders again. He opens his mouth to speak, but his jaw hangs loose with no words. 

"That's alright. Can I tell you what I see?" Henry nods again. His eyes lock onto Alex’s. "I see..." Alex starts looking around the room. "I see a white stone sink and an enormous bathtub. I see a toilet and..." Alex continues listing things until he notices Henry's breathing has slowed down a bit. 

“Um,” Henry starts causing Alex to pause his list. "I see," his voice is shaky and quiet. "I see your hair. I see the mirror."

"Good. What else?"

"I see the cracked tile. I see your face and your eyes.” Henry's breaths get deeper. "I see the door handle and the wastebasket." Henry drops his knees. "I see you." Henry stops and rubs the back of his hand across his eyes. 

"Can I hug you?" Henry shakes his head no.

“That's okay. I will just sit next to you.” Alex shifts so his back is also against the tub. Henry guides his hand into Alex’s. They stay there matching breathes, looking up at the ceiling. 

"I think I need to stand up," Henry says it more as a question than a statement. Regardless, Alex jumps to his feet and holds out a hand to Henry, who is still far from steady. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alex offers, finally turning a light on. 

Henry closes his eyes at the sudden light. He lets out a quiet, “no.”

"Okay. Do you want to go back to bed?" Another no. 

David finally wakes up and walks into the bathroom. He immediately rubs himself up against Henry's legs. "Living room?"

A yes. Alex takes Henry's hand and they slowly walk out to the living room. He flips on the light. Henry takes a seat on the couch and instantly curls his legs up to his chest. Alex notices he is still shivering, whether from the cold or nerves he isn't sure. Quickly, Alex runs back to the bedroom and grabs the disregarded comforter at the foot of the bed. A moment later Henry is completely wrapped up in it.

"Tea?" Henry lets out quietly. 

"Yeah of course. I'll be right back." Alex rushes off to the kitchen and maybe makes too much noise looking for the tea kettle. 

"Top right." A voice whispers behind him. Alex jumps and lets out a small yelp before wiping around. Bea stands behind him wearing the same clothes as last night. 

"Did I wake you up?" Alex asks before opening the cabinet Bea said to. 

"No. Did Henry have a panic attack?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" He fills the kettle with water and sets it on the stove with the heat all the way up.

"Do you regularly make tea in your pants at 4 am?" 

Alex looks down and realizes that he is in fact in nothing other than his boxers. "Uhhh'' He gracelessly tries to cover his front. "I'll be right back." Alex hurries out of the kitchen and past Henry on the way to the bedroom. He grabs the first pair of pants he can find, which happen to be Henry's suit pants from yesterday, and toss them on. He comes out of the bedroom to find Bea on the couch with Henry leaning up against her. 

"Why are you awake?" Henry pulls the comforter tighter around him. 

"Couldn't sleep." She answers as David hops into her lap. The tea kettle sounds off and Alex goes to grab it. 

In the kitchen, Alex realizes he has no idea where the tea is. Henry must notice as he shuffles up behind Alex, still wrapped in the comforter. 

He leads him slowly through the steps of making tea, fully aware that Alex would just dump the leaves directly into the kettle. Alex carries the teacups out while Henry walks ahead of him. He goes back to his spot next to Bea with his head on her shoulder. Alex hands everyone a and sits on the floor in front of Alex. 

The sun eventually creeps in the windows. Henry’s hand twirls the curls in Alex’s hair. “Should we get ready?” Henry says into the silence. 

“Do we have to?” Bea groans rubbing her eyes.

Henry shrugs in repose, not having the energy to say much more. Alex had been battling to keep his eyes open for the past 3 hours. Getting up means he can finally make a pot of coffee. Alex climbs to his feet. “I will get in the shower first.” He offers, giving them an excuse to put off starting the day for a while longer. 

Alex comes out of the shower to find his suit laid out on the bed along with a hot cup of coffee on the nightstand. Henry walks out of the closet carrying a garment bag. “Hey, you didn’t have to do this.” Alex gestures to the suit and coffee.

“I-” Henry stops. “Consider it thank you for last night.” 

Alex walks up to him. “You do not need to thank me. I love you, H. The good, the bad. All of you.” Henry bends down to kiss him. 

“I am so glad you are here.” 

Alex takes the bag from him. “Go shower. I’ll handle this.” Henry nods with acceptance and walks off toward the bathroom. Alex sorts out Henry’s suit before going into his own and sitting on the edge of the bed sipping the coffee. 

Breakfast is already on the table when Henry and Alex walk out of their room. They sit down at the table but neither one touches the food. Alex keeps glancing at Henry who pushes a couple grapes around his plate, never bringing one to his lips. “You should try and eat something.” Henry just shakes his head. He goes back to pushing the food around. 

Bea joins them a couple of minutes later. She wears a tea-length long sleeve black dress. Alex tries to count the pins holding the hat to her head to distract himself. She grabs a croissant and pulls it apart with her fingers picking out the inside. Henry excuses himself from the table and walks toward the restroom. 

“He is not doing good.” Alex talks to Bea in a hushed distressed tone. 

“I know. When we get to the church, go sit with him.”

“Aren’t I not supposed to-”

“Yeah, but Gran would rather Henry have a panic attack than break decorum. We will get to the church after you. Find him, please.”

That is all the approval Alex needs. “Of course.” 

“I talked to Mum, there will be a chair for you. I will watch him while we walk, but he needs you, Alex.”

“I will be there.” 

“Thank you.” This isn’t the first time he is so grateful that Henry has Bea. A door opens and Alex and Bea look back down at their plates returning to how they were before. 

Alex leaves to meet his parents at the same time Henry and Bea depart for Westminster Hall. Just before they walk out the door Alex grabs Henry's hand stopping him. "Hey, baby, it will all be okay." Henry's shoulders are tight, pulling his posture rigid. He nods in response not trusting himself to speak without crying. "I will see you at the church. You got this. Okay?" Henry nods against. "I love you." Alex pulls him into a tight hug, not caring if they both wrinkle their suits. 

"I love you too," Henry says quietly into Alex's hair. 

Cash and Shaan are waiting outside the door for them. They both are lead off in different directions down the hall. Alex keeps looking back at Henry, trying to keep an eye on him as long as possible. They reach a corner and Alex takes one last glance before rounding it and losing sight of Henry. 

Alex knows the way he slumps down in the back seat of the car is beyond dramatic. He really couldn't care less. The gates of Kensington are lined with flowers and pictures. It reminds Alex of images from Newtown or Pulse. People are lined up on the sidewalks. Paparazzi take pictures of his black car as they pull out onto the streets. The hotel his mom and Leo are staying at most a mile and a half away, but the traffic makes the trip take forever. Cash sits in the front seat and keeps a steady silence. The sidewalk across from the hotel is loaded with paparazzi, trying to get pictures of the celebrities and heads of state leaving for the funeral. Once they stop outside the doors, Alex is prepared to just bolt inside. He waits for Cash's all clear before speed walking inside with as much composer as possible. Cash leads him to the elevator and up to the suite his family is in. Alex knocks and Leo opens the door quickly. He puts a firm hand on Alex's shoulder and guides him inside. 

June immediately leaves her seat and rushes up to Alex. "How's Henry?" Pez comes up behind, clearly wanting an answer. 

"I don't know." Alex takes his fingers through his hair. "Not good."

"Is that Alex?" His mom yells from the other room before walking through the door. 

"Honey," her voice is sweet as she wraps him in a safe hug. Alex almost starts crying into her suit jacket. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, I guess." He doesn't meet her eyes. 

"This will all be over soon. Have you had breakfast?" 

Technically yes, but he knows the few pieces of fruit he ate does not count. Alex shrugs and asks if there is coffee. Leo passes him a mug a moment later. 

There is not too much time before they all have to leave for the church. 

At least ten secret service agents are surrounding them as they leave the hotel. The ride there is silent. The closer they get to Westminster Abbey the more crowded the streets become. It feels wrong to Alex. It is like a parade is coming through, not a funeral procession. His heart pounds thinking of Henry having to walk down this road behind his brother and sister-in-law’s casket. He never wants a funeral like this. 

They enter the line of cars waiting to drop off at the church. He unsuccessfully tries to recognize any of the people going in before them. The car pulls up to the door and they all climb out of the large black SUV. Cameras are immediately going off left and right. Alex's instinct tells him to turn on the charm, but he doesn't have the energy. Instead, he slides himself between his Mom and Leo and June and Pez. Alex keeps his head down until they are through the doors. 

"Madam President, if you can follow me." An usher says as soon as they step inside. 

They all start to follow the man when another man in a suit comes rushing up to them. "Mr. Claremont-Diaz this way, please. Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine has requested a different seat for you." 

Everyone attempts to hide their surprised looks. "I'll see you guys later," Alex says before following the man right to the front of the church. He points to a very specific seat right on the aisle. Alex sits down before turning to look around the church and find his mom. Every seat in his section is empty. Every now again someone will walk by sending him a confused and horrified glance as if to say "What on Earth are you doing sitting there?" Slowly the space behind him fills up with more people. Alex has no clue what time is and figures it is not appropriate to check his phone where everyone can see him. He keeps having to stop his leg from bouncing as he waits for Henry. 

One quick motion everybody stands and the choir starts. Alex looks down the aisle. This is the first time Alex has seen the coffins. They are draped in large flags and carried by members of the Queen's guard. The Archbishop leads the coffins past Alex and to the foot of the altar. Catherine, Henry, and what Alex assumes are members of Martha's family walk up the aisle. His eyes finally meet Henry's, whose shoulders instantly drop a little in release. The closer they get the clearer Alex can see them. He wants nothing more than to wrap Henry in his arms and take him far away from here. 

"Alex?" Henry whispers in surprise when he goes to stand in front of the seat next to him. Alex nods and brushes the back of his hand against Henry's. The choir finishes their song and starts singing God Save the Queen. 

The Queen walks slowly up the aisle. She looks around nodding in acknowledgment to certain people in the crowd. Alex sings along with the anthem but falters when her eyes land on him. His stomach drops with the look of absolute death she sends to him. Henry must see it too, as he leans closer to Alex and hooks his pinkie around Alex’s. The Queen shifts her gaze to him and then to Catherine. She must have figured out it was her who did this. The Queen sits down and everyone follows. Henry sits as close to Alex as he can. Their thighs brush against each other. The physical content stabilizes both of them

The service is long each passing moment Alex notices Henry's body getting tighter and tighter. Catherine gets up to give her eulogy after Martha's mom. Henry's eyes do not move from where they are locked on the floor. Bea looks at Henry and then concernedly at Alex. He knows he should pay more attention to what Catherine is saying, Alex, won't dare take his eyes off of Henry. Bea passes her mother a handkerchief when she sits back down. 

Thankfully after that, the service winds down. The same members of the guard from earlier pick up the coffins and walk them out the door. Alex follows Henry out after them. They stand on the steps watching as the coffin is loaded into the hearse and driven off. 

The next person to leave is the Queen, who climbs into a Rolls Royce. Alex lets out a sigh of relief when the door is closed. As soon the car drives off Henry grabs Alex's hand and looks at him. "You're here." 

"Of course." 

They are the next to leave. Bea, Henry, Alex, and Catherine get into the limo that stops in front of them. The door closes behind them and Alex watches each other relax into their seats. Henry slumps against Alex, enjoying the quiet. Bea tilts her head back against the wall and closes her eyes. 

Catherine opens a compartment to her right. It's a small minibar. She pours two glasses of brandy and silently holds one out to Alex. Henry doesn't stir as Alex shifts to grab the glass. Straight brandy would not have been Alex's first choice, but it feels wrong to turn her down."

It takes 35 minutes for them to reach Windsor Castle. Only 4 cars are arriving at the noticeably quiet grounds. Alex whispers to Henry that they had arrived. Once everyone has exited their vehicles, Alex looks at the whole group relieved. There are maybe 25 total people. No press. 

The bishop greets the group and leads them across the grounds to the cemetery. There is already one large headstone with both Philips and Martha's names on it. In front of the stone are both coffins buried under a pile of flowers. Everyone stands in a semicircle and the bishop starts to say a few words. 

This service is short and Alex can hold Henry's hand making them both feel more at ease. 

Afterward, everyone leaves the cemetery and mills about the gardens talking. For the first time, Alex can get a private word with his boyfriend. "Are you okay?"

"I do not know." 

"What can I do?" 

Henry looks around before answering, "can we just go home?"

"Yeah, baby. we can go home."


	5. I’ll Be Home, Safe and Tucked Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week another update.  
> Trying to think of better names for each chapter than chapter 1, etc. Open to ideas if you got any.  
> Also thank you guys so much for leaving comments and kudos!! They really do make my day!

Two days after the funeral Henry and Alex are on a flight back to New York. Alex sits hunched over his laptop trying to cram a week's worth of studying into a 7-hour flight. Henry is next to him tapping the back of his pen on an empty journal page. David lays lazily at his feet. 

"That's it." Alex looks up from his screen and pulls the glasses off his face. "I am fucked." 

"What's wrong?" Henry closes his journal.

"I have two exams tomorrow, missed last week's classes, have barely any clue what is going to be on them, and 24 hours to figure it out. 

"I am certain you will do incredibly." Henry places his hand atop Alex's on the keyboard. 

"I am not so sure." 

"I am." Henry places a soft kiss on Alex's lips. "Now back to work."

Alex groans as he puts his glasses on. 

They land at 4:30 New York time. One perk of flying private is that customs is quick and easy, making their trip back to the brownstone only take an hour. Alex wishes he could be surprised at the paparazzi waiting outside for them to arrive back. Both of their security teams manage to keep them back long enough for the two boys and dog to get inside without incident. 

Alex immediately goes to the living room and picks up a pile of notes that were left behind. "Thank God." Henry releases David from his leash and he runs around excitedly. 

"Did you find what you needed?"

"Yep." Alex grabs his laptop out of his bag and sits down on the couch getting immediately back to work. 

Henry leaves the suitcases in the living room and walks toward the kitchen to try and find them dinner. 

An hour later Henry emerges with two grilled cheeses both burnt on one side. He places one next to Alex and sits on the couch next to him. "Eat." 

"Umm-hmm." Alex does not break his gaze with the computer screen. 

Henry rubs a hand up Alex's back, who immediately shakes the handoff. It actually takes Alex a moment to process what he's done. He looks up from his screen and turns to Henry, "H, baby, love of my life, I'm sorry. I just need a couple of hours to figure this out. Thank you for the sandwich. I promise I will be such a better boyfriend after tomorrow. But I-"

"I get it. I am too distracting." Henry stands up from the couch with a small smirk. "I will go unpack."

"Thank you." Alex turns back to his computer as Henry grabs the suitcases. 

"Also, love, I could not get a better boyfriend than you." 

Alex watches himself smile in the reflection on his computer screen. 

At some point, Henry comes back, turns the lights on, and says something about going to bed. 

There's a ringing and vibrating. Alex shoots his eyes open instantly realizing he fell asleep. "Shit." He grabs his phone silencing the alarm for his alarm. The alarm for his test, which is on campus, in an hour. Alex bolts up the stairs to Henry and his bedroom. He grabs the first shirt in the closet and changes it out with his wrinkled current one. He had never bothered to take his shoes off when they got back from the airport and suddenly was very grateful for that. 

"Alex, what's wrong?" Henry asks groggily from the bed. 

"I fell asleep," Alex says running into the ensuite bathroom and throwing water on his face. He tries to style his hair. "How the fuck do you look so good all the time?" He curses to Henry as he sprays cologne to try and cover the I haven't showered smell. 

Henry hops out of the bed. "What do you need?"

"My laptop, bag, fucking pencils, my glasses." 

“Love?”

“Yeah?”

“You are wearing your glasses.” 

Alex’s hands fly to face. His fingers push the plastic frame into his face. “Fuck. I am.”

Henry rushes downstairs and starts putting things into Alex's bag.

Alex runs down the stairs and Henry stands there holding his satchel. "Baby you are the best." A quick kiss later, Alex is running out the door and diving into the waiting car. 

Inside the car, Alex frantically checks that he has everything. Cash turns around and passes him a coffee. "You are the fucking best, Cash." Alex nearly chugs it as the car starts to move through the New York streets at rush hour. 

Traffic is slow. He keeps looking between the clock on his phone and the road ahead. He has 15 minutes. His leg bounces so hard it shakes the whole car. Alex is thankful no one mentions it. 

He sees the purple NYU banners and gets ready to go. 6 minutes left. "Third floor?" Cash asks. 

"Yep." 

As soon as the car gets stuck in a bit of traffic the two of them jump out and book it. Alex sees the door to the classroom opens and the professor standing by it. He switches out of a full sprint and into a quick jog. "Hello, Professor." He greets nonchalantly before going straight into the room. The other students sitting quietly with their noses in books, look up at him. Most probably didn't expect him to make it. He can’t blame them, he barely did. The professor closes the door not a minute later. 

Alex has an hour between his two tests. He goes up to the lounge on the sixth floor to cram before the next final. Alex opens his bag to grab his computer and sees a bunch of Cliff bars tossed on top. He wonders what he did to deserve Henry. 

At the second exam, Alex is one of the last to leave. He knows the exhaustion of the past week in catching up with him, making his brain move slower. Cash asks how it went as they leave campus. 

"No clue." 

They get into a car and Alex wishes so much that New York City had drive-throughs. His stomach rumbles loudly, but he does not have the energy to physically go into a place and get food. 

"You have got to be kidding me." About 7 people with cameras and waiting on the sidewalk. He knows they are not here for him, but still, Alex knows he looks like shit. The car slowing down alerts them. He hadn’t noticed any paparazzi outside when he left this morning, but he mostly chucks that up to nearly missing his final. He hurries inside with his head down, maybe the pictures won’t sell. 

"Love, how were your exams?" Henry greets him as soon as he is inside. 

"Fine, hopefully," Alex wonders if he passes out right now if Henry will catch him. "What time is it?"

"6 pm. What would you like for dinner?"

"I don't know." Alex drops his bag down. "Thank you for the Cliff bars. They are the only reason I am still functioning."

"I know," Henry says with a kiss. "Pizza?" 

"Sure."

They turn in early. Henry is still slightly jet-lagged and Alex’s sleep schedule is so fucked up he decides to cash in on the exhaustion whenever he can. Alex pauses looking at their bed with an ear-to-ear smile. It’s their bed. He shimmies under the covers finding his regular spot on the mattress. 

“Do you have any more exams?”

“Nope. The semester technically ends in a week or so, but that was it. Might have to go back to campus to finish up a few things, but pretty much done.”

"So what are you going to do now with no classes to focus on?" Henry lifts the covers on his side. 

Alex lets out a single laugh. "I am going to Disney World." he deadpans. Henry raises an eyebrow as he gets into bed. "I don’t know. The election. The bar. There is too much to choose from." 

“I meant in the short term, the next few weeks. I can't have you getting bored. You might try to topple a government."

"Hey!" 

"You could if you put your mind to it." 

"Well tonight I am going to sleep and" Alex drops his voice, "I could think of some ideas to do tomorrow." 

"Hmm, and what would these ideas be love?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out."

"You are a tease."

"Love you too." Alex kisses Henry quickly before rolling over and turning the light out. 

“Go to DC,” Henry says, pointedly holding out Alex’s bag.

“I don’t have to. We’ve only been back a week and if you rather I'd stay I can.” 

Henry pinches the bridge of his nose. They have been circling through this conversation since Alex mentioned going to DC on Thursday. “You are leaving for 24 hours. I can manage.”

“I know you can, it's just…”

“Love, you have barely left my side for the fortnight past, and thank you for being here, but go see your dad.”

“He’ll be in DC for the next couple of weeks. I can always-”

“Alex if you do not go get on the train and we have this conversation again I will bloody lose it.” Alex opens his mouth to protest, but Henry quickly quiets him. “I will be okay. You are leaving for one night. I know you want to go, so simply go. I will be here when you get back.” 

It takes a little more convincing and Henry lightly pushing Alex towards the door to get his outside and on the train.

Alex feels able to breathe a little easier walking the halls of Congress. He walks on pure muscle memory, as his mind runs different scenarios. The door to his dad’s office is open and one of the staffers waives him through. Oscar is on the phone but looks up surprised when Alex walks in, closing the door behind him. 

“Oh hey, I will have to call you back. … Yep I will think about it. Okay bye.” His dad puts the phone down and turns to Alex. 

“Since when are you back?” The excitement of seeing his son is evident in his voice. 

“In DC? About an hour.” 

“Henry with you?”

“No, he’s still in New York.”

Oscar’s eyebrows scrunch up and his tone switches a little more seriously. “Is everything okay between you two?”

“Yeah. We’re fine. I just need to clear my head. Can’t sit still for long.” 

“I don’t think anyone would call what you’ve been doing sitting still.” Oscar stands up and goes toward a small fridge in the corner of his office. He pulls out two beers and passes one to Alex who accepts with a smile. 

“How is the campaign going?” His father’s eyes break contact and look toward a folder on the desk. “Did last week screw everything up?”

“Not everything, but it is definitely a bump in the road. I am sure Callahan was ecstatic when he found out. No one thinks California will vote for a Republican right now, but it just got a little harder.”

“I could come out to the campaign if that helps.” 

“Maybe in a couple of weeks. You know I would love to have you there, mijo, but right now...”

“My boyfriend is part of the biggest story in the world.” Alex takes a swig of the beer. “Yeah, I know.” 

“Sorry son.” Alex just shrugs. “How is Henry doing?”

“He says he is okay, but I am not sure. England was hard.”

“I watched the funeral.”

“The Queen wants me dead for sitting with Henry. If you had seen the look she gave me.”

“Do I need to go fight the Queen of England? She’s old, I could probably take her.” His dad jokes. 

“Maybe, Pa.” They talk for a while longer as the sun starts to go down through the windows. 

On his way out of the Capitol Alex's phone buzzes in his pocket. 

Mom

Mom

Why did you not tell me you were coming to DC? I am in Florida right now!

sorry mom

last minute decision

Mom

I will be back in DC tomorrow night. I want to see you, honey.

my train leaves at 3 

its okay tho ill go see june

Mom

Call me when you are back in New York okay?

yes mom

miss you

Mom

miss you too. Love you

love you too

Alex can’t help but be a little upset about not being able to see his mom. He really should have checked with somebody before texting her. Alex changes course slightly, turning off Pennsylvania Avenue and towards June and Nora’s apartment. 

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

* * *

hows it going?

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

Relaxing. Is Washington still standing?

yes

but if your country decides to burn it down again i would like a heads up.

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

I would have to take you as my prisoner.

you can’t just SAY that!

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

What? You do not like the idea of me having to chain you up?

That's not what I said! 

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

Keep you in my dungeon.

I am on the way to my sister’s right now.

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

I suppose I would need to punish you for being a naughty Patriot.

A flogging perhaps.

HENRY!

you really suck sometimes

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

I do come well-reviewed. 

fuck. 

i didn't mean that

and you know it

you told me to go and now you do this to me!

HRH Prince Dickhead 💩

I am a man of many mysteries. Have fun with June!

Alex can practically see Henry sitting in their living room with a massive shit-eating grin on his face. He knows Henry is enjoying having him walk half-hard around DC. Alex looks around, catching a reminding sight of the new secret service agent walking behind him. His ears turn scarlet. 

It wasn’t long after Alex moved to New York that June moved out of the White House too, all but confirming Alex’s theory that she only moved in to protect him. Nora and she had gotten an apartment 8 blocks from the Capitol. It is weird to think that in less than a year his Mom and Leo will probably be back in Texas. He’ll be in London. Will Nora and June stay in DC? His Dad will be, providing something else doesn't happen fucking everything up again. 

Alex nods to the doorman as he lets him into the building. June and Nora live in one of those newer buildings that are built of sterile glass and steel. It's a stark difference from the dark decorated wood of the brownstone. He gets into the elevator and rides up trying to remember if they are in the apartment at the end of the hall on the right or left. When it stops on their floor, he picks right. 

“Coming!” Nora’s voice yells from the other side of the door after he knocks. It swings open. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too, Nora.” He says with a smirk.

She pulls him into a hug before letting him come inside. 

“Hi?” June asks as she gets up from the couch. She has on a matching blue pajama set and a green facemask. 

“Hey Bug. You got something on your face.” 

“Shut up. Where’s Henry?”

“In New York. We do exist outside of each other, you know.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” She looks him up and down noticing the bag slung across his body. “Don’t tell me you did something stupid.”

“No. I’m going back to New York tomorrow afternoon.” They all gather around the kitchen island and Alex takes off his bag dropping it on the floor. 

“Assumed you could steal our couch?” Nora smiles as she says it.

“I-yes. In all fairness, y’all stay at the brownstone like all the time.”

“You guys have like ten extra rooms!”

“Four but whatever. I can stay right?”

“You’re lucky we like you.” Nora jokes that same time June says, “always.”

A while later they get sick of standing and move to the living room. Nora brought out a bottle of wine and they found the familiar rhythm of just the three of them hanging out. June cleans up her computers and papers. Alex notices a stack of her tabloids on one of the end tables. He grabs the top one. “Anything exciting?”

“You really don’t want to- '' June starts only to be cut off by Alex flipping it around so that he sees the front page. THE END OF THE MONARCHY: WILL HENRY BE KING? QUEEN SAYS NO. 

“Oh.” Is all Alex lets out.

“Yep.” June pulls it out of his hand and takes the whole stack away to her room. 

“Are they all like that?” Alex asks Nora.

“Yeah. Last week was all commemorative issues. This week is all that stuff. Sorry.”

June comes back into the room. “Zahra’s been busy trying to keep you out of what she can, but that won’t stop everyone.” 

“I haven’t looked at the news much since we left for England.”

“You are just missing stupid people saying stupid things and smart people saying mean things.” June sits down next to him. 

“I am tired of thinking about all that. What is going on with you?”

“Work,” Nora says with a shrug. 

“Same,” June adds. “We like to keep our lives a little less exciting than yours.” 

Alex sticks his tongue out at her playfully. 

Alex spends the next morning with June and Nora. They order breakfast to be delivered and sit around a table talking. It is relaxing and easy. A nice break from everything going on. Alex starts to almost get sad when it is time to leave, but then he thinks of Henry sitting in their living room and feels a whole lot better.


	6. Stifles The Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to give a massive shoutout to Hufflepoofle for giving me ideas for the chapter titles. You're the best!
> 
> This fic is going to be a bit longer than ten chapters. So I went back and made some slight formatting changes to the previous chapters to make things clearer going forward. It's the same content, just a little neater. Enjoy!

"What time is everyone coming?" Alex asks as he walks in the door carrying a bunch of reusable supermarket bags. 

"Eight!" Henry yells from the kitchen where he is putting away the groceries Alex brings in. Two hours they got time. 

Alex knows the past month has not been easy for Henry, despite how hard his boyfriend works to hide it. Alex sees it in the unfinished dinners. It is in Henry rereading the same books two, three times in a row as if trying to change the ending. It is in David staying glued to his side. Alex steps in where he can, putting away laundry, cooking the food he knows Henry loves. He knew his graduation two weeks ago was too much, too many people. He told Henry again and again that he didn't have to go, but the older boy refused to hear it. Instead, Alex watched him slap on a mask and pretend to be happy. 

The only thing that seemed to bring Henry back to his old self was talking about tonight. It is a celebration of Alex's graduation but also is an excuse to get all their friends together for the first time in a long time. They also had promised Bea to show her New York. Alex has caught enough of Henry's conversations with her to know that they both needed this weekend to blow off steam. So that is the plan, the Super Six takes New York. Alex just hopes Henry has a little fun.

Bea shows up first. She carries in a garment bag and small carry-on. As usually the case when they come to visit everyone is spending the weekend at the brownstone. She tosses both bags over the couch and walks into the kitchen. Alex is dumping a bag of chips into a bowl. Henry is leaning on the island sipping a cup of tea. She walks next to her brother casually, as if they were not just on opposite sides on the Atlantic. "Congratulations Alex."

"Thanks. How is England?"

"You don’t want to know,” Bea responds flatly. Alex maybe shouldn’t have asked.

“That bad?” Henry's voice comes out worried.

“It’s been a month since Pip and it is still as stifling as when you left.”

"I could always come back for a bit if you-"

"No. You are staying here. If you came back before the holiday I will personally fly you back to New York."

"Bea you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."

"You do not _have_ to deal with what's going on back home so don't. And like I said, I will not let you."

Henry sighs, seeming to drop arguing with her. “You can always come here. Flee the country.”

“Dear God, Gran would drag us back by our ears if both moved here.” She wraps an arm around her brother. "Now that we have brought the mood down. Pass me some of that dip. I am famished.”

The front door swings open again and June and Nora walk-in dropping their stuff right next to Bea's. "We're here." 

"Congrats!" Nora yells directly into Alex's ear as she hugs him. Alex had only gotten 4 tickets for his graduation, which meant unfortunately Nora did not make the cut. 

"You did it, baby bro." June sets a fancy double bottle of wine on the kitchen island. 

"Don't call me that." June rolls her eyes.. Alex rolls his eyes and grabs glasses from the cabinet. "Nora, what are the chances we make it out of this evening in one piece? 

"hmmm. Everyone returning here uninjured: 70%. Everyone returning: 82%. Bea not having to step in and stop one of our drunk asses from causing an international incident: 30%."

"Cool so everyone listen to Bea."

"Oi, you fucks better." She aggressively ruffles Henry's hair as she says it. Alex smiles at his boyfriend's face scrunching up. 

"HELLO!" The front door flies open and Pez steps in. His hair is a pastel rainbow and he wears a large dramatic cape covered in crystals. "I have arrived." 

"I can see that," Alex notes as his sister walks up to him. 

"How was Brazil?" She asks hugging him. 

Alex catches Nora look away, down into her glass of wine. He has always noticed the way Nora reacts to June talking about Pez. He also always debates saying something. Alex misses Pez's answer and zones back in at him pouring himself a glass of wine. 

"-I despise mosquitoes." Cool, so they are all still on Brazil. 

It doesn't take long to empty a bottle of wine with 5 people drinking it. Once it is gone they realize that if they are going to actually go out they should probably start getting ready. Everybody takes their bags up the guest rooms, while Alex and Henry head straight to their room. 

Both men spend maybe 15 minutes getting changed and most of that is Alex fixing his hair in the mirror. 

Down the hall, the chaos grows louder. Alex is buttoning up the last couple buttons on Henry's shirt when they both hear a loud, "FUCK! NORA HELP!"

"Coming!" 

"Bloody hell how did you manage to do that?" Bea asks from out in the hall. 

"I don't know!" Alex smiles up at Henry as he listens to the confusion through the door, not wanting to risk seeing his sister naked.

"Sweetheart, don't hurt it. It’s McQueen." Pez adds, uselessly. 

"Put your arm here. No here! June!"

A laugh bubbles up through Alex. "How complicated can a dress be?"

"I haven't the faintest idea."

"AH! I can breathe now." Alex takes that as the cue to open the door now and see what was happening. Nora is zipping us the back of June's short black dress. It has a low back and the top is covered in criss-cross straps that hold it together. 

"It looks like a fishnet," Alex says earning daggers from June. 

"Men," Nora states blandly walking in the large bathroom at the end of the hall. The hem of her black pants drags on the ground as she walks. She has on a sheer corset top that is half-zipped up. 

Bea stands out between them in a black and silver jumpsuit. She and June follow Nora into the bathroom. Pez walks back into the guest room and emerges a moment later in a sheer sparkly black peasant top. "So boring." He says with a smirk as he walks back Alex and Henry. 

They all crowd into the bathroom. The girls are all standing in front of the large well-lit mirror. Makeup containers are already strewn across the vanity. 

"We're not boring." Alex checks his hair in the mirror. 

"Get over here then," Pez says, opening a black box. Alex moves to stand in front of him 

"What are you going to do?"

"Close your eyes."

"Wait what-"

"Alex," June interrupts her smile evident in her voice, "close your eyes." He finally complies.

"Relax," Pez demands. Something wet and pointing is dragged across his eyebrow. Alex fights the urge to squint his eyes tightly closed. "There."

Alex opens his eyes to everyone looking at him smiling giddily. Well, everyone except Henry whose eyes are dark and fiery. Alex is well aware of that look and if gold eyeliner is all it takes he will start wearing it every day, every-fucking-day.

Alex walks back to Henry, who grabs his boyfriend’s hand and leads them away from their friends and into their bedroom. Henry pushes Alex against the wall and gives him a searing kiss. Adrenaline floods Alex's body. For fucks sake is it so hot when Henry is in charge. They kiss until sneaking in small breaths is not enough and both are panting heavily. "So eyeliner."

"Yeah. Eyeliner." 

When all of them go out together there is a proper squadron of security with them. Three black SUVs pull up to the back alley of a club upscale club in the meatpacking district. They are swiftly ushered inside and up to a VIP lounge that overlooks a pounding dancefloor. A few other people are up there, tucked away in semicircle booths. A hostess directs them to one of the larger booths and they all slide in. The music is radiating up from below. The bass slamming in their chest. The girls toss their small purses up on the flat top of the bench. A young waitress walks up wheeling a cart. She is only there for half a second before someone, Pez, orders a round of tequila shots. She places 6 shots on the table before starting to make their actual drinks. Bea takes the one placed in front of her and pushes it in front of Alex. "Congrats."

“Nooo” June whines “Aren’t you supposed to stop us from causing an international incident?”

“Hey what does that mean?” Alex teases back.

“It means you plus him” she points to Henry “plus alcohol equals front-page news." 

"I will be on my best behavior."

“Bullshit”

Alex quickly forgets what he said to his sister. Pez, June, and Nora go downstairs to dance. Bea stands over at the railing looking over the dancefloor and talking to a girl from one of the other tables. That leaves Henry and Alex, tipsy, in love, and alone. Alex can not remember who started it, but very soon their lips are smashed together. Alex has a fist full of Henry's shirt. Henry's fingers are looped through the other belt, pulling him close. Their kisses are hot and taste of tequila. The whole world has known about them for years, but there is still a vaguely forbidden feeling every time they do stuff like this in public. It makes Alex buzz with the thrill. The music swirls around. A blurry wall of base and drink that blocks out the rest of the world. Alex is running out of breath and feeling his pants grow tighter and tighter every second. "Bathroom?" He breaths out against Henry's lips. 

"Uh-huh." Alex grabs Henry's hand and slides out of the bench. They walk off to the restroom with giddy smiles and excited steps. 

When they return to the table, with Alex's curly hair visually disheveled Bea is sitting there. "Hey, Bea," Henry says way too innocently giving away everything.

"You two are ridiculous." She rolls her eyes. 

"Who were you talking to?" Alex plops back down in the booth next to her. 

"Oh, some girl, pretty sure she’s a model. She wanted Alex's phone number. I may have mentioned who you were and then watched her put everything together. It was quite amusing."

Nora walks up to the table, sweaty with half her face covered in glitter that wasn’t there earlier. She takes off her jacket and tosses it on the couch next to Alex. "Bea, come on. June and Pez are being weird and I need a dance partner."

"Fine." Bea stands up turning to Henry and Alex. "Coming?"

Alex looks at Henry trying to gauge if he is comfortable. Henry answers, "Yes."

The dance floor is slammed full of people. Nora remembers when Pez and June are and lead them. Bodies bounce into them jostling the group back and forth. People are jumping up and down screaming the lyrics to a remixed version of “Video Killed the Radio Star”. 

By the time they find June and Pez, the energy has taken over Alex. In a matter of seconds, he and Nora are belting the lyrics into each other's faces. Bea is trying to get her brother to not look as stilted as he does.

The song changes to a new one that earns loud cheers from the crowd. Alex immediately looks back at Henry with a huge smile, very glad they came on an 80s night. Whitney Houston blares out over the speakers. Alex grabs his boyfriend’s hands moving them into the air with his own. Henry beams back at Alex jumping to the beat. They both scream out the chorus to “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”. 

  
  


It is impressive that they all make it back to the brownstone relatively unscathed. June broke a heel on the dancefloor at the end of the night and is still mourning the loss of her shoes. They are all beyond wasted except for Bea who was delusional with jetlag and sick of everyone’s antics. The rest of them stumble, a swaying mess, into the living room. Bea claims the chair. Henry drunkenly pulls Alex onto his lap. June and Nora sit up on the back of the couch while Pez lays out at their feet. 

Alex tenses up as he feels Henry’s hands strongly clasp onto his thighs. Alex looks back at Henry with a raised eyebrow and wicked smirk. "Whatcha doing?"

"nothing-"

"We are still here!" June yells from the other couch. 

Henry flushes red and pouts at the same time. Alex loses it. He starts laughing so hard he slides off Henry’s lap and onto the couch next to him.

"Shall we play a game?" Pez offers. "Keep those two distracted."

"Hey!" Alex objects. "We can behave."

"You, Alexander, never behaved in your life," June adds twirling her broken shoe around. 

"I do too."

It is Henry who speaks next. "No, you never behave, love." His voice probably comes out lower than he expects it, earning a chorus of ewwws. Alex fucking loves how forward he can be with alcohol. 

"I am no longer drunk enough to hear about my baby brother’s sex life." The shoe flings off June's finger and lands on the ground behind her. 

"I have never been drunk enough," Bea adds. "So a game?" 

"Monopoly?" Alex throws out innocently.

"You're fucking on." Nora declares aggressively.

"No. Absolutely not," Henry adds.

"Why not?" Alex asks innocently while Nora pulls a pouty face. 

"Because I," June introjects, "don't feel like watching you two mercilessly bankrupt the rest of us before spending hours viciously going after each other."

"Love, you are ruthless." Henry pecks Alex on the cheek. 

"Good ole American Capitalism." Pez tosses out with a have of his hand. 

"Dontcha know it. I think we have Scrabble.” Alex does not add that they have Scrabble because having Henry absolutely decimate him in the game is a major fucking turn-on.

“He’ll try to play something like tintinnabulation and you’ll counter with cumdumpster,” Pez groans out. 

“Tintinnabulation is over 7 letters, Percy.” Henry defends. 

“You’d find a way.” 

“So no games?” Nora frowns. 

“Y’all are too damn competitive.” June leans against Nora’s shoulder. 

“You love us anyway, Bug.” Alex takes a swig of his beer. 

“Yeah, I do.” 

Bea tries to stifle a yawn but does it poorly. 

“You can go to bed Bea,” Henry offers, “it must be like 8 am in Britain.”

“You are right.” Bea stands up, “I think I shall pop off to bed. See your hungover faces in the morning.”

They all let out groans in response as she leaves. Pez sits up and finishes his beer. “I might follow her. Brazil is farther than it looks. June?”

“I think I’ll stay up a little longer.” Pez grabs her hand, has the stands up to leave, and kisses it on the way out. Nora jumps down into the seat where Pez once was. June slides next to her. “How’s the bar going?” 

Shit, he never told his sister he wasn’t planning on taking the bar. There isn’t much use for it when he's moving to another country in 6 months. It feels like a waste of the little time Alex has left in America. He is sober enough to realize he is too drunk to have this conversation, but also too drunk to lie so...“I am not going to take the bar, Bug.” Alex says softly. Henry’s hand squeezes his. 

“Wasn’t that the whole point of law school?” Her voice is careful despite the alcohol. 

Nora’s is not. “The fuck?”

He doesn’t want to fucking do this now. It’s 3 am. They have all been drinking and Alex really hasn’t prepared himself to handle this. “It isn’t the time to talk about this.” Alex finishes off the rest of his drink. 

“Alex, what is going on?” 

“Oh shit.” The realization snaps across Nora’s face. Her voice shifting from loud, drunk, to quiet and sobering, “It’s actually fucking happening isn’t it?” 

Alex wants nothing more than to scope everyone in this house up and carry them fucking far away. Unfortunately, he's trapped in this living room telling his best friends that he is leaving. “Yeah, it is.”

June looks between the two of them incoherent enough to not put it together. “Someone wants to tell me what is happening?”

“He’s moving to England, June.” Nora stands up and walks out heading toward the kitchen. 

“Alex?” His sister looks at him on the verge of tears. 

“She’s right, Bug.” 

Nora walks back in and holds up a bottle of Maker’s to Alex as if to say ‘may I?’ He nods and She twists it open. Nora takes a long swing before passing it on to June. 

June takes a sip and hands the bottle to Alex. “When are you leaving?”

“Before Christmas.”

“You couldn’t wait till Mom’s out of office?” 

Alex takes a long draw and knows he is definitely going to regret everything in the morning. “It’s not exactly our-”

June cuts him off. Her brain is generating more quotations by the second “What about everything you’ve worked for? This is career suicide, Alex!”

“Especially in Texas,” Nora adds quietly, glad the whisky made its way back around to her. 

“Y’all think I don’t fucking know!” Alex stands up getting June’s attention. “I hate it. It fucking sucks, but” Alex softens, “Henry’s worth it. All of it.” Henry sits on the couch awkwardly. He very rarely has seen Alex and June yell at each other; could count the instances on one hand if he needed to. 

Alex watches as June and Nora’s eyes flick to Henry. “It is not his fault. Something had to give and this is my decision. We knew this was coming.” 

Both girls let out quiet sorries at the same time. June stands up and wraps her arms around her brother. His muscles are still tense under the hug. “I worry about you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“You're my brother so yes I do.” She takes one big breath. “I am going to miss you.” Alex realizes that she is crying. He gently rubs her back. 

“I will miss you too, Junebug.” Alex lifts his head and looks at Nora. Her knees are pulled up to her chin with the Maker’s bottle between them. He gestures her over to the hug.

“White House Trio goes international.” Nora wraps her arms around the siblings. 

Alex looks over their shoulders and watches Henry quietly stand up. He points to the stairs indicating he is going to bed. Alex catches his eyes and mouths ‘you okay?’ Henry nods and starts toward the stairs. As soon as he’s left the three of them break apart. “Please don’t tell anyone about this.”

June and Nora both agree with their eyes wet. They hug one last time before deciding for everyone’s sake they should go to bed. 

Alex walks into his room only to find it empty. “H?” he asks in the void. 

“He’s with Pez,” June says appearing in the doorway. “He shouldn’t have seen that. Sorry.” Alex and her sit on the floor, their backs against the bed. 

“Yeah. He’s probably freaking out. Fuck. I should go-”

“It sounded like Pez got it.” June rests her head on his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you. I hate watching you having to go through this. It’s not fair.” 

“It’s not, but we’re not normal people. Fair doesn’t apply to us.” 

June hmms in response. “My brother is going to be a prince.” She says wistfully

“That career in journalism was not meant for you was it?”

She lets out one loud laugh. “It was cursed from the start.” 

“I should have realized my political career was cursed from the moment you bought that J14 magazine.” They both start giggling. 

“Got yourself a literal Prince Charming you overachiever.” They lean up against each other enjoying the company until a door can be heard opening and closing down the hall. June’s breath hitches, “I should probably go.”

“Yeah.” Alex gets to his feet and offers a hand to help her up. “See you tomorrow.” 

“I am not looking forward to this hangover.” June sighs pulling her brother into one last hug. She turns around to leave and sees Henry standing at the door with a blank expression. “Uh, Henry, sorry about earlier. I fucked up.” 

“It is alright June, you are just looking out for Alex.”

“Yeah,” she looks back at Alex quickly, “I am going to go to bed now.” 

Henry steps into the room, letting her pass through the door with a single ‘goodnight.’

Alex walks up to Henry and pushes the door closed. “I’m sorry, baby. I wish that didn’t go the way it did.”

“It had to happen eventually.” Alex slides his hand down Henry’s arm. “Can we go to sleep?”

“Don’t you think we should talk about this?” Alex looks at Henry concerned.

“Not now. It is nearly 4 am, and you and I are both wasted. Let's sleep before anything else happens.” 

“Yeah okay. I love you.”

“Love you too, Alex.” 


	7. There Was A Way Out For Him Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My hand slipped and made this chapter 8k. So here is the first part. I need a couple few days to finish up the back half of it and will post it on later in the week. (Idk when exactly, but definitely pre-Wandavision)  
> All of your kind comments last week have kept me super motivated on this story, hence the double update! Thank you so much!!

Their alarms had gone off an hour ago and it is quickly approaching the time when they will absolutely have to get up and out the door. Alex knows Henry is excited to go spend time with his mom and sister in Scotland. He knows it’s the relaxing family time his boyfriend needs. He also knows getting his head back in the game on his dad’s campaign will do him good, but goddamn Alex never wants to leave their bed.

“Will you be busy?” Alex asks circling his thumb around the back of Henry’s hand.

“I hope not. It is supposed to be a holiday and you will certainly be busy enough for the both of us.”

“One week in DC, then the DNC in LA, and then following my dad up and down California for two weeks. Yeah, just a bit.” 

“It is only a month.” Henry sighs. “One month.”

“It will go by so quickly. You’ll have fun hunting quail or whatever poor bird you pick.”

“Pheasants, but not in the summer.”

“Peasants!” Alex exclaims in jest, “I had no idea I was dating a tyrant!”

“Pheasants you wanker!”

  
  


The walls of his old White House bedroom grow boring to Alex. His mom is off in a meeting, Leo is missing, and June and Nora are out having their own lives. He jumps off the couch and out his door. Alex wanders the halls of the White House. Staffers occasionally say hi to him as he passes them. Alex’s head keeps racing, becoming very aware that in 7 months his mom will be out of office and he may never be back here again. Being President, moving back into the White House, maybe with his own family, had always been his goddamn plan. Congress by 30. Going to law school changed things and dating Henry certainly changed things. Moving to England, prancing around watching everyone else make meaningful change. Alex knows he will give up everything for Henry, but he would be lying he said it didn’t, right now, make him fucking miserable. It also did not help that Henry and he have danced around the subject since the night he told June and Nora a month ago. He should go find June and talk this through with her, but she gets so upset every time he mentions leaving. She paused her life to look out for him and move to DC. He can’t really blame her for taking him moving across the Atlantic hard. Still, though Alex wants someone to talk to. He paces through the entire White House twice before he ends up circling the grounds. 

Eventually, Alex’s phone dings with a calendar reminder and he turns to head inside to one of the smaller conference rooms in the West Wing. It is empty so Alex sides into one of the big leather conference chairs. It makes him feel small. His leg bounces up and down. He zones out and pours over his situation for the millionth time. It has been 2 months since England he should fucking know what he’s doing. Alex is so used to planning his life out years in advance. Having vague structures like ‘move to England by the holidays’ are starting to stress him out especially as Christmas draws closer. Why the fuck does he have to start worrying about this now with one week until the DNC? The past two months in New York it barely crossed his mind like this and when it did he could always bug Henry into distracting him. It is going to be a fucking long month. 

The door opens and Alex’s eyes snap up towards it. His mom walks in followed by Zahra. Ellen sets the pile of files in her arms down on the table and Alex stands up to hug her. Some of the anxiety he has worked up over the past couple of hours melts out into her. Most hangs around in tight shoulders and excess energy. Ellen takes the seat next to Zahra across the table. It reminds Alex of all of the times he’s been in trouble. 

“What's all that?" Alex gestures to the pile. 

"The weekly fire that needs to be put out. Don’t worry about it. How are you doing honey?”

“Good,” Alex says, his leg still shaking.

Alex notices Zahra looking directly at him. She quickly glances at Ellen before turning back to him. “What did you do? You're nervous.”

“Nothing! I didn’t do anything. I’m fine.” Alex leans back in his chair and forces his leg to stop moving, 

“I know you’re lying sugar. What’s bothering you?” His mom asks, holding out a hand towards him across the table. 

Alex wants to say no very badly, but part of his mental lecture to himself was to talk about this with someone. He takes a deep breath mustering up every inch of courage he has. “I’m moving to England.”

His mom takes a moment before answering. “Okay. Okay. That was to eventually be expected.” Zahra is writing something down on a notepad. “When are you two planning on leaving?”

“Before Christmas.” He sees it in his mom’s eyes, the moment she realizes that for the first time he will not be there on Christmas morning. It knocks the breath out of Alex’s lungs. 

“I-” Ellen stops taking another pause to compose her answer. “I am happy for you and Henry. I am worried though, you do not seem thrilled about this.”

“It's not our decision. I knew it would always come to this.” Alex takes a deep breath his voice growing quieter. “I just hoped that it wouldn’t.” 

"Sugar, What you and Henry have is so incredibly special. I have rarely seen a love like yours and, if I am to be honest, I have never known a love like yours.” Alex looks up at her. “You two bring out the absolute best in each other, making yourselves and the whole world better. But years ago I asked you if you were willing to sacrifice everything for Henry. If you were going to commit to being with him forever and you said yes. Changing your dreams is hard, but Alex, there are so many ways to help people. Look at Henry and Percy and all the work they’ve done. " Alex opens his mouth to object but his mom sends him a look as if to say I am not finished. "And before you say that it is not the same. You’re a competitive little shit and politics is perfect for that, but you will still be able to do great things. Not that I am advocating for the monarchy, but think of all that could be done if we did not have to spend a year campaigning. ” 

“I know it doesn’t matter to him or you, but the type of money Henry's family has is old money. It is powerful money, much more powerful than you realize and it is status. They’re the people that fund vaccines and build infrastructure in developing countries. It’s the type of people we have to listen to because they fund our campaigns. Honey, you're not out of the game, but playing a different position. You have the opportunity here to make the entire world better. Not just America. I can not even imagine what you could do with those resources and your brain. It will be amazing. And you get to have Henry by your side the entire time. I know it is not what you planned, but God always opens a window."

"I- thank you, Mom." Alex feels for the first time that he can manage this. 

“Lastly, no pressure or anything, but if you were to marry him think of what that would mean for all the kids out there like you two.”

Alex smiles down at the table. “I have thought about it.” The warmth in his chest burns away what is left of his anxiety. 

“I believe in you, Alex. You've got some much ahead of you.” Ellen smiles and looks directly toward Zahra, “it’s been so long since I have gone to a wedding.” Alex remembers how pissed Zahra was years ago when every date she set had to get canceled because some conflicting, more pressing event arose. Ellen had pleaded with her to take time off, but if it wasn’t her schedule it was Shaan’s. Alex and Henry both felt like shit each time it happened knowing their lives were fucking up their wedding. It was after the fourth time that Zahra decided it would be much less stressful to wait until after Ellen left office. 

Zahra looks directly at Alex, “I have been engaged for-fucking-ever if you beat me down the aisle you will not see your honeymoon. Got it?”

“Yes, mam.” Alex smiles. His mom lets out a small laugh. 

“Now that we’ve had this touching moment, who else knows about this?”

“Henry’s family, June, Nora, and Pez. I haven’t told Pa yet.” Alex looks at his mom, his eyes begging her to keep this between them.

“I won’t say anything, sugar.” Ellen looks at Zahra. “This is need-to-know only until after the general. We will have to meet with the Crown before then though, have someone in Communications come up with a cover.” She turns back to Alex, “Stay far away from the press next week. They will be coming after you, to begin with. Zahra, can you make him as busy as possible?” 

Alex starts to object saying he can handle it. His mom stops him. “Sorry honey, but the more involved you are the less the press will find time to get you. They will ask you if you are moving and they will know if you are hiding something.” Zahra nods and writes it down in her notebook. Ellen leans back in her chair, “You like to keep election years interesting.” 

Alex shrugs with a smirk. “Got to keep you on your toes.”

Zahra flips open her folder ready to start business. “Here’s your soon-to-be revised plan for the DNC…” She goes off covering everything Alex is and is not allowed to do, say or wear. Zahra repeats numerous times how Henry is not allowed there, despite Alex reminding her that a) their relationship is very public and b) Henry is in Scotland for the month. She doesn’t care though. Alex is pretty sure he traumatized her at the last DNC. 

Alex doesn’t look up from his phone when June walks into the family dining room. Ellen and Leo haven’t arrived yet. June is typing on her phone on the opposite side of the table in a comfortable silence. 

Alex clicks his screen shut and sets his phone on the table getting June’s attention. “I told Mom about me leaving.” 

“How’d she take it?”

“Better than you,” Alex states with a teasing smile. “She cleared a lot of stuff up.”

“I may not have shown it at first, but I am happy for you, baby bro.”

“I know and stop calling me that!” 

“Never. Hey, Leo” June greets as Leo walks in and takes his seat. Alex notices the small scent of burnt lingering around him.

“It’s good to see you two again. How is life?”

“Good. What did you catch on fire?” Alex asks, amused.

“You can smell it? Just a small soldering incident.” 

His mom enters the room in one big flourish of movement that grabs everyone's attention. “June you made it.” His mom sits down at the table and slides her feet out of her heels. “Is something on fire?”

“It was only a small accident with a soldering iron and a table.” 

“Leo, do not burn down our federally protected house.” 

“Alex’s future in-laws already did that,” June says nonchalantly. As she runs her hand over the placemat.

“JUNE!” Alex exclaims in amused shock. 

“Technically she is not wrong,” His mom observes, playfully ganging up on him. 

“Can we go back to Leo practicing his wood-burning?” Alex asks helplessly. 

“We will both need new hobbies in a few months, Ellen. Maybe I will become a woodcarver; I haven’t done that before.” 

“Mom’s going to book like 300 speaking engagements.” 

“I hope not that many. I am looking forward to taking a break, going on vacation. I heard Scotland is nice.” Alex smiles down at the table, knowing his mom has his back. 

  
  


Alex has barely heard from Henry in the past two days, only quick one-word responses. He hopes he is busy riding horses, playing piano, and doing whatever rich people do in the countryside. Every other time Henry’s left for vacation Alex’s texts have gotten much more response. He sits on Air Force One next to his sister and Nora, debating asking Zahra to ask Shaan what's up. He ultimately decides to not risk getting chewed out by her in front of a plane full of people. 

They land in LA and are immediately whisked into black SUVs and to the Ritz Carlton across the street from the Staples Center. Alex is led up to his room, given a key, and thirty minutes to settle in before meeting his dad for lunch with June. He checks his phone, no new texts from Henry. 

Alex unpacks his entire suitcase. The bag was completely stuffed since Alex needed to pack for not just the DNC, but campaigning with his dad. Most of the clothes he could have just left in there until he was at his dad's house, but hanging them up gave him something to do that wasn’t worrying about his boyfriend. June is at his door not long after asking if he is ready to go. 

Cash and Amy follow the two of them to the elevator and to their dad’s room six floors down. As soon he opens the door June wraps her arms around him. His dad manages to lift her off her feet a little bit. 

“Hey Pa,” Alex greets as they break apart and everyone steps inside.

“Too old to give your padre a hug?” His dad opens his arms and Alex walks into them. He breaths in the familiar cigar scent. 

“Never.” 

There is a pizza box set on the dining table of his dad’s suite. They all take a seat and June flips the lid on the box open. “How is the campaign doing?” 

“We can go through all that this weekend, mijo. I want to hear about you and June.”

“There is something I want to run by you Pa.” June starts. She is picking at her fingernails. “I am thinking about finally moving to LA next year.” 

“Really?” His dad asks, “Fucking sick of DC?”

“It's just…” She looks at him and Alex can tell she’s been thinking about this for a while. “My lease with Nora is up in March and Mom’s going back to Texas and Alex isn’t even there anymore.”

“I would love to get to see you more, mija. You can stay with me until you find a place if you’d like.”

“Thanks, Pa.”

“Any time.” He looks towards Alex, “Are you and Henry still planning on staying in New York?” 

Shit. It's the first time he's seen his dad in over a month. Zahra said not to mention it within a hundred miles of the convention and technically they were. The flight was long and he is tired and wouldn't this be better to do later. So Alex makes excuses and Alex lies. “Yep, that's the plan.” He hates the look June gives him. 

The next morning the convention starts in earnest. Zahra has Alex so busy that there is no time for him to think, let alone talk to the press. This also means that Alex does not notice he hasn’t heard from Henry all day until he crawls into bed and it is 3:30 am in Scotland. Alex calls him but receives no answer. He rolls over and goes to sleep. 

The next day has Alex even less time to think. From 7 am to noon he is constantly shuffled between locations. People talk to him and Alex listens barely enough to respond coherently. The convention finally breaks for lunch and Alex gets exactly one minute to check his phone.

HRH PRINCE DICKHEAD 💩

* * *

morning

hello?

is everything okay?

baby?

give david a belly rub for me

i gtg ttyl

love you

HRH PRINCE DICKHEAD 💩

Sorry, I have been kept busy here.

Love you too.

Bea says hello.

Alex desperately wants to sneak off and call him, but he is supposed to be meeting Nora and June in the hotel lobby in 5 minutes. A text will have to work. 

HRH PRINCE DICKHEAD 💩

* * *

hope you’re having fun

tell bea hi

can we call later?

Alex hurries out of the Staples Center and down the path toward the hotel. Cash follows at his heels. Alex can see June and Nora sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant through the window. His sister spots him and waves. He dashes inside past the hostess booth and right into the empty chair waiting for him at the table. Alex lets out a slightly winded hey.

“Did you run here?” June asks, pushing her filled glass of water toward him.

“Yeah. Zahra is trying to kill me.” 

“I think she’s trying to save you from yourself,” Nora states, picking a breadstick out of the basket in the middle of the table. 

“That too. I’ll be right back.” Alex gets up and walks toward the bathroom. He stands at the sink and splashes water on his face. Their table is right next to the window for a reason. This is the moment for the three of them to be photographed. The White House Trio taking a break from a busy day, munching on Italian, enjoying each other’s company. It also conveniently is a situation where no one outside the restaurant could hear anything they may say. Alex fixes his hair and straightens his suit. He pulls out his phone again. No response from Henry. He walks back to the table much more put together than before. 

The three of them play the part, smiling and laughing. None of them mention Henry in case anyone can overhear. They talk about such unimportant things: movies they’ve all been too busy to see, the best items to fondue, Wendy’s Twitter account. It almost feels like it used to when everything wasn’t so pressing and immediate. Alex hates that he can see the photographers across the street. An hour later they are each spread out at different corners of the Staples Center. 

At the end of the day, 

That night Alex climbs into bed exhausted and dials Henry, the phone goes straight to voicemail. 

* * *

On day 3 of the convention, there are three firm knocks on his hotel door startling Alex, who is pulling his suit jacket out of the closet. “Zahra I’m coming!” He yells straightening himself up. He still has 15 minutes until he needs to be downstairs. Alex opens the door to tell her that he just needs to put his shoes on. Standing there isn’t Zahra, but instead the two last people Alex expected to see. “Aren’t you in Scotland?” 


	8. There Was A Way Out For Him Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the part 2! Enjoy

On day 3 of the convention, there are three firm knocks on his hotel door startling Alex, who is pulling his suit jacket out of the closet. “Zahra I’m coming!” He yells straightening himself up. He still has 15 minutes until he needs to be downstairs. Alex opens the door to tell her that he just needs to put his shoes on. Standing there isn’t Zahra, but instead the two last people Alex expected to see. “Aren’t you in Scotland?” 

Henry is standing there with Shaan dutifully behind him. Their outfits are wrinkled and their eyes dry from the airplane. 

Henry walks in and closes the door with a nod toward Shaan. “Obviously I am no longer.” 

Their hands link and Alex steps close, meeting Henry’s eyes. 

“You are supposed to be on vacation with your family.” Henry doesn’t answer Alex instead deciding to pull him into a kiss that Alex keeps quick. “Is everything okay?”

“I needed to see you.” Something went horribly horribly wrong on his vacation. It's in his voice.

Alex burrows his face into Henry. “Here I am.” There are more knocks on the door. This time so aggressive they cause Alex to jump back. He should have known the first set was too polite to be Zahra

“Diaz I swear to god if you are not ready to go I am going to drag you out by your ears,” Zahra shouts from the other side of the door. 

“Fuck. I have to go.” Alex says to Henry with a groan. “Will you be okay?”

“I will manage. Let her in before she busts down the door.” 

Zahra enters the second the door is opened. “Yay, you're dressed now get your shoes on we need to get moving.” She locks eyes with Henry. “Not fucking again.” Zahra whips around back to Alex. “Why is he here? I told you so many goddamn times that he could not come.”

“Mrs. Bankston, it was very much my idea to surprise Alex.” Henry offers out. 

“You two are going to kill me. The future fucking King of England is at the DNC in Los Angeles when he is supposed to be, rather publicly let me remind you, vacationing with his family in fucking Scotland.” She takes a large swig of her coffee. “Assuming sneaking you on a private jet back to the other side of the world isn’t an option.” Both boys shake their heads no. 

“Shit. Alright, here’s the fucking plan. You,” Zahra turns, walking directly up to Alex and pointing a finger at his chest, “are going to put your shoes on coming downstairs, keep your goddamn phone in your pocket, and convince several thousand people that he is anywhere but here.” She turns to Henry, “and you are not allowed to leave this fucking room for the next two days. No one better see you. 16 years of the presidency, the last thing we need is more press comparing this Party to the goddamn monarchy.” 

Alex slips his shoes on quickly, not untying them and stretching the loafers out. 

“Ready?” Zahra asks sharply, moving towards the door. Alex glances up at Henry wanting to give him one last hug, but Zahra grabs his wrist and leads him outside the room. “We are going to be late.” She informs Alex letting go of his wrist and speed walking down the hallway. Alex has to jog to keep up with her. “How long has he been here?”

“10 minutes? Shaan and he had just shown up.”

“Shaan’s here?” She asks with forced indifference. 

“Yeah and probably very excited to see you,” Alex says with a smirk. 

“An 11-hour flight and no heads up. That man is dead if he dares show his face to me. Dead.” They catch an elevator that is thankfully empty. “Not everyone uses the DNC for repeatedly hooking up with their boyfriend, Alex.” 

“Something happened in Scotland,” Alex responds, “Henry hasn’t said what, but something.” 

Her face shifts, softening briefly. “I’m sorry, but I need you to worry about that later. The presidential race doesn’t look like it is going in our favor, so we need to hold as many damn Senate seats as possible so some asshole can’t come in and undo everything your mother has accomplished these past 8 years.”

“I know.” Alex slumps against the wall. The elevator dings and stops. Alex stands up straight and pulls out his signature charm as the doors open to the bustling lobby. 

Alex longs for how intoxicating this atmosphere used to feel. He misses getting caught up in the movement and the people. This year is much harder to buy into wine and dining potential allies and new connections. It is not even Henry sitting upstairs in his room alone and upset, though that fact certainly drags Alex down more. Every time he tries to get his head back in the game his mind pulls it out of him. He thinks of how this could very well be his last DNC. Alex knows his mom is right. He can still do a lot of good following Henry back to England, but he will miss the energy, the thrill of being on the ground running. It fucking sucks, but he knows he is making the right choice. Regardless it is harder to push himself to meet and impress everyone when he knows all the networking will be worthless. Alex shuffles from conference room to conference room, keeping conversations short and actively avoiding reporters. 

He has an hour for lunch. Alex hurries through the hallways of the convention center heading toward the hotel. "Alex!" He turns around to find June walking up to him waving. 

"Hi," Alex stops antsy to keep going toward Henry. 

"Ready for lunch?" 

Shit. He had forgotten that he was supposed to get lunch with his dad and June today. "Uh about that…"

"You're still coming, right?" 

"I can't Bug."

"Alex, Pa hasn’t seen you in two days." Alex registers the hurt in his sister's voice. "You can take a break. He already ordered the food."

"It's not that."

"Then what's so important?"

Alex looks around at the very busy hallway. "I can't tell you." June rolls her eyes. "Not here at least." 

"Are you okay?" Her voice is a whisper heavy with concern. 

"Yeah. I'll text you, okay but right now I gotta go. Tell Pa sorry I'll see him tomorrow." With that Alex runs off. 

He gets to the hotel and stands along the back of the elevator. Cash next to him. Alex sends June an explanation. 

BUG

* * *

h showed up.

something happened in scotland

BUG

I’ll let Pa know

Tell him I say hi.

thanks, bug.

Alex also sets a 45-minute timer on his phone. Zahra would probably castrate him if she had to come find him. He hops off the hotel elevator and practically runs down the hall and into his room. Henry looks up startled when Alex walks in. He is curled up on the bed with his computer open and  _ Bake Off  _ on the TV. Alex jumps into the bed next to him and sees the blank word processor on Henry’s computer. The older boy shuts the screen. 

“You’re not ditching some meeting that is going to have Zahra crusading in here are you?” Henry asks, pausing the TV.

“No, but I only have 45 minutes.” Alex snuggles up next to his boyfriend. “Wanna tell me why you are here?”

“I can’t just come by and say hi?” Henry asks innocently.

“We both know you did not catch an 11-hour flight in the middle of the night just to say hi. I thought it was supposed to be fun. You went on about how beautiful Scotland is and how excited you were for me to join you next year.”

Henry just shrugs. “It was not much of a vacation. Gran showed up and brought with her an endless barrage of meetings with the church, with members of parliament, judges. All making snide comments about you and me. How we can’t have heirs. How we’re destroying the bloodline. They would say those things, dropping them into conversations where they had no place. These ridiculous, horrid things that should not matter. They were so matter-of-fact about them as if they were stating the weather. 'Such a lovely breeze today. And by the way, any children you have will technically be considered bastards. Do you think it is too warm for riding?' Not a single piece of good news. There is a proposal in Parliament that could fix so many problems, make our children, if we even fucking have any, legitimate. I did not meet with any of those members. Gran didn’t invite them.” Henry shuts his eyes trying and failing to keep the tears inside. 

“Mum saw how miserable I was and was pissed. So she canceled the holiday and told me to leave. This was supposed to be time for us to relax as a family. The first time since Pip and Martha passed. We were supposed to be ourselves, a regular family. Or as close as possible and Gran took that away. She fucking ruined it on some last attempt to break us up. 

“How could you want to commit to this, love? How could this possibly be a life you want? You have everything here, Alex. I do not understand it.”

Alex wishes he could figure out a way to make Henry get it. He knows he is only trying to protect him, fuck does it hurt every time Alex knows Henry’s wondering when he will finally wake up and run for the hills. It is never going to happen, but how to get that through Henry’s thick skull is another issue. 

“Henry, I deal with those people every day in DC, in New York. They exist everywhere. I am sorry your Gran decided to bring them all to your doorstep, but I am not giving up on you because of them. Fuck them. I am committing to you, a life with you. You are all I want Henry. It’s worthless without you. We are doing this together. You and me as one.” Alex listens to the words leaving his mouth. Truly listens and realizes right then and there that he is going to ask Henry to marry him. He is finally going to do it, not some distant hypothetical, and not because anyone told him to, but because maybe it will finally make Henry understand that he is never ever going to leave him. Alex is going to wake up next to Henry every morning. He is never going to let this man out of his sight.

Alex runs his thumb across Henry’s cheek wiping away the tears collected there. “Stay in California with me for the next few weeks. Your schedule is still cleared right?”

“Technically I am very busy, but yes I will stay here with you.” Henry’s phone has not blown up yet, so he assumes his mom and Bea are busy running interference. “Will your dad be okay with it?”

“I’ll check but he should be. He likes you remember?” 

Henry smiles at the thought. “I do.” 

They have lunch brought up to the room and Alex has roughly 5 minutes to eat before having to run back to the convention center. Alex chugs down a cup of coffee, gets up from the table, and rushes over to Henry’s side. Henry tastes the combination of salad dressing and coffee on Alex’s lips as he says goodbye. “Forever right?” Alex asks.

“Forever,” Henry responds with a wide smile and warmth in this chest. Alex fucking hates having to run out the door immediately after.

That night Alex returns to find Henry asleep on top of the covers, he had been up for over 24 hours. The TV is still on. Alex turns it off and slides the covers out from under Henry gently. He turns the lights off allowing the peeping city light through the drapes to guide him into bed and to his boyfriend. It is the best sleep either of them has gotten all week. 

Alex wakes up to an empty bed and a hot cup of coffee on the nightstand. The shower is running and steam slides out from under the bathroom door. He feels way too well rested for the amount of sleep he should have gotten. Alex’s hand darts out to find his phone. The screen lights up and Alex is genuinely surprised to see that he has an hour before he needs to be anywhere. Alex texts his dad confirming that Henry can stay with them. His phone starts ringing immediately after. 

“That’s a bad idea.” Oscar Diaz says the second Alex answers.

“I’m not saying he comes to events, just sorta tags along.”

“I want to say yes. I do, but you have to see how fucking horribly this could go.” 

Alex knows he is right. He sees the ‘Prince Harry on the Campaign Trail’ headlines in his head and it makes him want to scream. “Yeah. I just thought…”

“I know. Have him come stay for the weekend. Go to Disney or something. He needs to be gone before we leave Monday morning. Okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I’m sorry, mijo.”

“I know, Pa. I am too.” Alex hangs up and then chucks his phone across the room. Henry opens the bathroom door just in time to see the phone bounce off the wall and land on a chair. 

“What happened?” Henry asks standing in the doorway with only a towel. 

“My dad said you can’t stay with us for the next few weeks. I never should have brought it up. I should have realized how goddamn stupid of an idea it was. Of course, he would say no.” 

Henry sits on the end of the bed next to Alex and takes his hand. “It is alright, love. I can go back to New York.”

“I don’t want you to just be sitting there alone.”

“I am not a woeful widow gazing out the windows waiting for her husband to return from sea.” 

“You know what I mean.” 

“I will be okay, Alex. I’ll text Pez, maybe tag along with whatever he is working on.”

“Can you stay for the weekend? My dad’s cool with that.”

“Of course I will stay.” Henry leans down and kisses Alex. 

Henry goes to get dressed and Alex picks up his cracked but still functional phone from the chair. 

BUG, irl chaos demon, zahra desert, cash 🤜💥🤛, shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannn

* * *

  
  


anyone want to go to disneyland on saturday?

Irl chaos demon

YES. I packed my loungefly.

BUG

You knew this was going to happen?

Irl chaos demon

56% chance Henry shows up here. 30% chance Alex tries to make him feel better with mickey mouse. 

We are in LA and they can not be apart for more than two weeks. It's a statistical fact at this point.

BUG 

Z can we go? 

zahra desert

You four are pushing it.

thx, z! 

also don’t tell h i want to surprise him

Irl chaos demon

Stop being cute. It’s annoying.

  
  
  


Henry watches the voting on TV and fifteen minutes after the event ends Alex, June, and Nora walk into the room carrying a fancy bottle of champagne. “It is officially over!” June announces and Alex pecks Henry on the cheek. 

“As soon as we get to Pa’s tomorrow, you are no longer in hiding!” 

“Sorry, you had to stay locked up, babe.”

“It is much preferable to whatever wrath my face being seen at the convention would bring.”

“Zahra would castrate you.” Nora grabs a towel to open the bottle with. 

Nora and June kick their heels off and climb up on the bed. “Do not spill champagne on my bed,” Alex warns as Nora undoes the cage. 

“I am not going to spray it,” and she doesn’t. Alex scoots up next to Henry. They pass the champagne around. Alex is going to fucking miss this. Everybody is leaving, scattering out to different corners of the world. After December, Alex doesn’t know when a time like this will happen again. He tries to pull himself out of his head and into the moment but does a bad job. 

  
  


For the first time in Alex’s life, he sleeps well at his dad’s house. He also knows that Henry is 100 percent the reason why. Alex quietly sneaks out of the bed carefully to not disturb his still sleeping boyfriend. Alex here’s June and Nora talking outside his door and Alex steps out pulling the door closed behind him.

“I don’t even have sneakers.” June laments looking over the clothes tossed on her bed. They all are very clearly picked for the DNC. Nora on the other hand is dressed in black shorts and a light blue short sleeve. “You could have told me this was a possibility. “

“It was pretty low odds, I didn’t want to be wrong. You got to have something here.” She slides open the door to the closet in June's room. This holds a random selection of old clothes from whenever they stayed with their dad. Alex stands in the doorway watching them with a smile. “Here.” Nora picks up a pair of old-worn Chuck Taylors and tosses them at June's feet. “Sneakers.” 

June fingers our way through the closet and pulls out a dozen items to work with. She reaches the back of the rack. “I wonder if this still fits.” She pulls out a skirt covered in tiny Cinderella castles. 

“You’ve been complaining that you have nothing to wear and this is in your closet! When did you get it?”

“When Pa first moved to California and he did not know what to do with two kids so we went to Disneyland constantly.” 

“Like every weekend. I wonder if there is something hidden in my closet.” 

“Prince Charming still asleep?” Nora asks as she holds up a shirt towards June.

“Please don’t tell me y'all are going to make that a thing.” Alex groans out. He stands no shot of Nora not calling Henry that all day. 

“Bet your ass I am, Cinderella. This opportunity does not come very often.” 

“And it got worse.” His voice is flat causing June to laugh. “I am going to get dressed now.” Alex turns and leaves. 

Back in his room, the lights are on and Henry looks through his suitcase. “What’s going on out there?”

“June was worrying she had nothing to wear.” 

“I thought we were staying in today?” Henry looks at Alex’s face. “What have you done?”

“We may be going to the happiest place on earth.”

“Disney World?”

“Land, but same thing. You deserve to have some fun on vacation.” 

“I have no clue how you managed to get everyone to agree to this in 3 days, but thank you love.” Henry may or may not dip Alex as he kisses him, like the goddamn fairytale prince he is. 

Alex takes Henry’s hand once they get past the main gate. A couple of people have sent them weird looks. Mostly directed at the 15 agents surrounding them. All four of them are wearing sunglasses, but Alex wonders how long it will take for them to get caught. 

Nora points them to a shop at the start of Main St. “We need ears.”

“Yes.” Alex nods. They hurry into the story and right up to a floor-to-ceiling rack of headbands. “Let’s get the pride ones” Alex picks up the rainbow ears and plops them down on Henry’s head. 

“Everyone is well aware of how gay you two are.” June takes them back from Henry. “I like these.” She picks up a set of blue ears with the old Disneyland logo on them. June objectively has the best taste and they end up all getting those. 

They are all getting off of Pirates of the Caribbean when Alex knows they’ve been caught. A table of teenage girls dining at the restaurant next to the loading deck has their phones out and pointed directly at their boat. “Cameras 2 o’clock,” Alex says, flashing them a smile. He tries to get out of the boat as gracefully as possible, hoping to not end up a meme. Regular people with a camera, Alex could deal with. Henry grabs his hand as they exit. The act makes him giddy. Even 4 years later they both still relish in doing things as simple as holding hands in public. 

“THE CLAW,” Alex repeats for the 7th time as they sit down with their food outside Pizza Plant in Tomorrowland. 

“Love, stop.” Henry pecks him on the cheek

“Fine.” Alex looks over at June who is deep in her phone. “Anything interesting?”

“Look at this,” June says with a smile. She sets her phone down on the table showing a picture. It was taken a couple of hours ago when they had gotten off Peter Pan’s Flight. Minnie was walking down the street and blew the 4 of them a kiss. Mickey had crossed his arms and shook his head. Nora’s face is a raised eyebrow of mild amusement, while June is leaning forward laughing. Alex looks completely lost. Henry is grinning ear to ear. It is Alex’s favorite smile, the one that lets him know Henry is genuinely having fun. He is going to save the photo. “It’s a tag yourself.”

“That is perfect.” Alex picks up the phone to look at the phone and notices the time. “It’s 6:30?”

“Yeah, that’s why we are eating dinner.” 

“We need to hurry.” Alex pulls a piece of pizza out of the box hastily.

“What do you have planned, Cinderella?” Nora asks skeptically. Alex wouldn’t be surprised if she already guessed what it was. 

“Nothing. We just have to be across the park soon.” 

Alex rushes them out of the restaurant and back through Frontierland. The closer they get, the more excited he gets. Everyone has probably figured out where they’re going. It’s the only part of the park they haven’t hit yet. Alex puts his fingers through Henry’s squeezing slightly as they walk through the tunnel.

“Oh shit.” Henry breaths out when they emerge on the other side. The rest of them mutter out similar expressions as they look around at Galaxy’s Edge. “It looks so real.”

“This is going to take all my money,” Nora states factually walking up to a booth selling blue milk right by the entrance. 

“I thought this was only in the other park.” Henry’s eyes are still looking around taking in every single detail. Alex looks up at him. Yep. This is the man he is spending the rest of his life with. One thousand percent. 

Alex is too busy watching Henry to notice Nora coming back with 4 blue milks. It isn’t until she literally holds one in front of his face that he looks away from Henry. June leads them away from the center of the path that they had been blocking since arriving. 

“That is positively disgusting.” Henry turns his face down, looking at his cup.

“It’s fine.” June offers taking another sip. 

Alex tries it and it immediately tastes like a sugary, coconut-fueled fruit smoothie. “How do you not love this? It is so good.”

“I’m with Henry.” Nora passes her cup to Alex to finish. 

That is how Alex ends up drinking three blue milks and buzzing with all the sugar. He holds the map out and leads them up a door with people standing in front of it. A cast member greets them, letting them know they are in the right place. “Are we building lightsabers?” Nora asks, gesturing toward the giant blue banner next to them with a sword-like image on it. 

“We’re building lightsabers.”

“I want a blue one.” Henry excitedly turns to Alex. 

“Then I’ll get a green one. What color are you two going to get?”

“Red, obviously.” Nora gives off a wicked smile. 

“Someone has a purple one right?” June asks. She was nowhere as into Star Wars as the rest of them.

“Mace Windu.” Henry offers.

“I like purple.” The doors open and everyone is let inside. Alex can feel most of the room looking at them trying to figure out who they are and why a handful of vaguely menacing people followed them inside. It's a girl about their age who gets it first and she whispers to her friend. Luckily, the cast members start the experience. 

They are given bags to carry their sabers in, but they all want to hold them. Correction: they all want to swing them around. Henry pulls out his phone and sends a picture to Bea. The four of them take a bunch of pictures holding the glowing blades at night in front of the Millenium Falcon. Alex already knows which ones he is posting on Instagram on the way back. 

The park starts to empty out and Alex has June take a picture of him kissing Henry in front of the castle. He immediately sets it as his wallpaper. 

They get into the SUV, a pile of sore feet, light-up swords, and truly massive smiles. 

Alex and Henry have said goodbye too many times. Their lives pulled them in different directions so often that they almost had a routine. Step 1: Lay in bed until the absolute last minute, lamenting about how they don’t want to go. Step 2: Begrudgingly get dressed, while the person not leaving makes either tea or coffee for the other. Step 3: Have a drawn-out goodbye right by the door, constantly saying how long they will be apart and how much they will miss each other. Alex is pretty sure Shaan now builds time for this into Henry’s schedule. Step 4: Wait for whoever is not leaving to realize they are being ridiculous and start telling the other to go now or they will be late. And finally, Step 5: Physically walking out the door. 

They are currently on Step 3. 

“How the fuck do you two get anything done?” June asks standing with her suitcase in the foyer with them. 

“It’s a miracle they make it anywhere on time,” Nora adds wheeling her bag in.

Alex looks over Henry’s shoulder. “Feel free fuck off anytime.” He goes back to Henry. “Have fun in Monaco with Pez.”

“I hope so, he did mention being on a mission to  _ schmooze _ someone out of a Lamborghini.” 

“Didn’t his dad get him a Lambo?” 

“Yes, but he mentioned he wanted to earn this one.” 

“Makes sense.” Alex pecks his boyfriend’s lips. “I’ll see you in New York in 13 days.”

“See you then, love. 

Step 4. “You should probably get going before June and Nora drag you out of here for making them wait.”

“Yeah,” Nora pipes in, “some of us have regular people planes to catch.” 

“Everyone has everything?” Oscar asks joining the group. He walks over to June and wraps his arm around her. 

“Yes, Pa.” June responds as her dad wraps his arms around her. 

The two boys say their ‘I love you’s and have one last kiss. 

“Fly safe,” Oscar yells as, Step 5, everyone walks out the door. The foyer is noticeably quieter with only Alex and his dad in it. “Ready to get to work?”

“Fuck yes.” He follows his dad down the hall toward his office, excited for the distraction. 

Alex and his dad dance around each other in the kitchen. Oscar Diaz does most of the work, while Alex jumps in when he can. They had gotten a little too wrapped up in going over the next two weeks and missed the sun going down. By the time they started cooking both of them were starving. A short time later they sit down at the kitchen table with hot plates. One bite in and Alex is reminded how good his dad’s food is. He misses it when he’s back east. It doesn’t help that Alex knows he will never be as good a cook as his dad. June will get to eat this all the time once she moves out here. Alex on the other hand might just have to have her ship him a plate to England. He needs to tell his dad about that, preferably before they’re on the campaign trail. Alex sips his beer and sets his fork down. “I’m thinking about asking Henry to marry me.” Good news first right?

Alex knows he has caught him off guard. Luckily Oscar can adapt quickly. “That's fucking incredible mijo. You two are great together.” 

“Yeah. I’ve thought about it forever and everyone assumes it’s going to happen. I'm sick of waiting. I want to do it.”

“It is a big commitment how are you and him going to deal with,” he stops looking for the right word, “his family,” close enough. 

“That’s the other thing Pa. I’m moving to England in December.” 

“Does your mother know?”

“About proposing,” the word feels weird on Alex’s lips but he decides he likes it, “not yet. I told her about moving before the convention.”

“You’re sure about this? This is irreversible.”

“I know. I just… when Phillip and Martha passed not being able to be next to him that whole time fucking sucked. I was miserable. Henry was beyond miserable. I never want to leave his side and I want him to know that I will never leave his side. There never will be anyone else, Pa. I do not care what the press or anyone does, I need to be with him.” 

“That's all I needed to hear, mijo. I have your back no matter what happens.”

“Thanks. Sorry, I lied at the convention when you asked me about New York.”

His dad puts on a knowing grin. “I knew something was up and you would tell me eventually.”

Alex goes back to his food smiling. “Oh, Mom doesn’t want anyone to know until after the general. So please don’t tell anyone.”

“You won’t have to worry about that. I don’t want to deal with the absolute shitstorm this will bring until I am reelected.” Oscar looks directly at his son. “This won’t be easy or nice. A Mexican-American marrying into that family, gay stuff aside, the press will persecute you just on that.”

“I can handle whatever they throw at me, but this is going to affect everyone. I’m more worried about you and June.”

“We will figure it out, mijo. We always do.”


	9. Til The Sun Goes Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over a hundred people subscribe to this story, which is like what!? Thank you guys so much. 
> 
> Anyways, next week I am moving across the country so there may not be an update. If there is one it will probably be later in the week. 
> 
> ENJOY!

“I’m home!” Alex declares throwing open the door of the brownstone. It takes Henry not a moment to respond, coming into the foyer and wrapping Alex in his arms. Alex practically metals into the safety and calm. 

“Nora was right in her prediction. If you were gone a day longer I would have flown out to California and kidnapped you.”

“We need to stop dramatically flying places.”

“You know we won’t.” Henry pecks a kiss on Alex’s forehead. 

“Hopefully we won’t have to.” 

“Unlikely, but I love the sentiment.” 

“You’re a sentiment.” Alex lamely jokes. “How was Monaco?”

“Fun. Mr. and Mrs. Okonjo were there.”

“I’ve never met them.”

“You will. They frequent London much more than America.”

“I’ll turn on all the charm. Must impress my sister’s boyfriend’s parents.”

“I am sure they will love you.”

Alex twists out of Henry’s arms. “Did I miss anything exciting here?”

“I spent most of the time at the shelter. Fear David might have been a little lonely.”

“How about we grab him and curl up on the couch?”

“How about we leave David in peace and curl up in our bed?”

“Lead the way.”

Alex waits for the sound shower curtain sliding closed to reach across their bed and onto Henry’s nightstand. He grabs his boyfriend’s phone, unlocks it, and swipes over to Henry’s calendar. When is the next time Henry is out of town? August 16th- 18th. Vancouver Shelter Anniversary. There it is. Next weekend. He can work with that. 

**PREZZY PEZ**

* * *

you know how Henry and you are going to vancouver next weekend?

can you keep him extra busy

like not looking at his phone busy

**PREZZY PEZ**

Will you tell me what you are up to?

Will you do it?

**PREZZY PEZ**

Say please

Fucks sake

Will you please do it?

**PREZZY PEZ**

Of course sweetheart.

Now, what are you planning?

a surprise

**Mom**

* * *

are you in dc next weekend?

**Mom**

Yes, hon

Are you coming to visit?

maybe

want to help me pick out an engagement ring?

**Mom**

You are finally going to ask him!?

If you are fucking with me Alexander I am going to be mad.

mom i am not fucking with you

**Mom**

I am so happy for you.

I will clear my schedule.

My baby is getting married.

  
  


**BUG**

June

Bug

Dear sister

**BUG**

What do you want now?

help me pick out an engagement ring?

**BUG**

YES! I have been waiting for this. 

You HAVE to go with Cartier.

pls nothing crazy

  
  


One day later...

**Irl chaos demon**

* * *

**Irl chaos demon**

ALEXANDER

GABRIEL

CLAREMONT

DIAZ

Are you asking Henry to marry you?

June just walked in with a pile of bridal magazines

How the fuck did you not tell me!

ALEX

Dont ignore me this is serious

I am so happy for you two

Bitch Answer me 

i stepped away for 20 minutes

i was going to tell you

only my mom and june know.

**Irl chaos demon**

Shit

I may have texted Bea asking if it was true

thx nora

  
  


🐝

* * *

🐝

Alex dear, would you care to explain why I have a frantic text from Nora inquiring, completely hypothetically, about you marrying my brother?

nora is impatient

and i was thinking about asking him

🐝

He is going to be so happy.

You two are beautiful together.

Thanks

🐝

Now you must tell me everything. 

Where are you going to ask him?

Idk yet. 

i only asked june to help me pick out a ring. 

🐝

Send me a video.

And welcome to the family Alex.

  
  


As soon as Henry leaves for Vancouver, Alex quickly packs a suitcase, grabs David, and heads for the train station. 

**BUG**

* * *

**BUG**

I’m with Mom.

I think you broke her. 

She's about to start skipping down the halls.

The President is about to start skipping.

is someone bitter i am going to get married before them XD

**BUG**

I will send the jeweler home

im sorry

pls dont

Alex honestly feels bad for the jeweler. He didn’t know what he signed up for when he agreed to come to the White House. Alex, June, Nora, Ellen, and David are all in a conference room looking over about a hundred different rings sitting in portable display cases. Nora has Bea on a video call and David’s leash tied to her belt loop. All of the women are pointing out their favorites, sliding them on their fingers. Alex is staring at the display cases, slightly overwhelmed, trying to find the one. 

“What about this?” June asks, holding her hand in front of his face. Sitting loosely on her finger is a thick silver band with roughly 10 diamonds set in it. 

“I want something simple. We’ll probably get different rings when we actually get married.” 

“Like this?” Ellen passes him a simple skinny gold band.

“Honestly? Yes.” Alex holds it up closer to his face. He knows Henry would not like the attention of a flashy ring. 

“Boring.” June sets the other ring back in the case. “This ring is going to be everywhere. It needs to stand out a little bit.” 

He knows his sister is right. The papers will call it drab or cheap. Regardless, he really wants to kick everyone out, buy that ring and call it a day. 

“I think he’d like that one,” Bea says over the speaker. Nora points at a silver band with a twisted rope pattern. It is hideous. “Up two.” Bea directs. Nora picks up a thinner gold band with a ring of silver in the middle. 

“I like it,” Alex says looking over Nora’s shoulder. He reaches around and takes it from her. His mom and sister move closer to get a better look. Alex slides the ring on his finger. Update: he loves it. 

“That’s the one.” Ellen states looking at Alex’s face. She puts the ring she was holding back in the case. 

The jeweler walks up to him. “That ring is 24k gold and has 950 finesse platinum, quite a good choice sir.” So it’s not silver

“I’ll take it.” Alex can feel himself smiling a huge toothy smile. This will work.

“Excellent. Do you know what size you will need it in?”

He looks around at the women in his life who have such joyous looks on their faces. He knows they are not going to like his answer. “No.”

“Alex.” June groans out. “How did you not get his ring size?”

“I didn’t come unprepared.” Alex rebuttals reaching in his pocket and pulling out a cut section of a shoelace with two sharpie marks on it about 2 and a half inches apart. He had to get the size when Henry was sleeping one night and couldn’t find anything better to work with. “I just don’t know how to make this, that.”

“He is hopeless,” Nora says to Bea on her phone. 

“May I?” The jeweler asks. Alex hands it to the man and watches as he pulls out a keychain connected to a bunch of different circles. Alex does not know what magic this man works, but not a minute later he says, “A size ten and a half appears to be a fit.” 

Alex turns back to June and Nora. “See it worked.” 

“You did measure the correct finger?” Bea asks over the speaker. 

“Y’all have no faith in me. Yes, Bea, I did measure the right finger.”

“Simply checking.” 

The jeweler starts to go over the process of getting the ring sized. Alex realizes he will have to take it off and hand it back. Sliding the ring off his finger is harder than deciding to get it. Alex plans to have the final ring delivered to Nora and June’s so he does not risk Henry coming across the package. 

Nora hangs up with Bea and the four of them go to lunch. “Do you know how you are going to ask him, hon?” Alex’s mom asks after they are sitting around the table. 

“Not really. I want it to be special”

“First pick a continent,” Nora instructs.

“I don’t want to wait till we go to England. I don’t even want to wait until after the election, so it needs to be private.” 

“A state?” 

“I don't know.” 

“What about the lake house?” June pipes in, “when we all go for Labor Day. Could be nice, certainly private.” 

“You could ask him at the end of the dock! June and I can line it with candles and other romantic shit.” 

“Oh! and we can hide and take pictures for you.” 

Alex doesn’t hate the idea. Hopefully Henry will let Alex confess his feelings this time around.

“That does sound lovely,” Ellen adds. 

It would certainly be nice to have Nora and June there to help him. Or more importantly to keep him calm. “I don’t hate it.” 

“I am sure he will say yes no matter where you ask him, sugar.”

“Oh my god!” Nora exclaims, “we get to be bridesmaids.” Lunch descends into wedding hypotheticals. Nora and June ask questions like what type of flowers he wants. He laughs them off but is amused when the girls have answers to the questions about their own weddings. He is going to need their help planning this, who knows all different the meanings of daisies. Alex wonders for the first time in his life if he should make a Pinterest board. 

He wakes up way too early the next morning. There is one thing left for him to do. He is pretty sure of what answer he will get, nonetheless, his mind won't stop. Alex gets out of bed waking David up in the process. The dog looks confused and walks up to Alex’s feet. “What do you think?” Alex asks the beagle, “Should I do it?” It’s 10 am in Britain, that's late enough. David sniffs Alex’s foot and he takes that as a go-ahead. Alex unplugs his phone and dials. 

“Alex?” Catherine’s voice says from the other side. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything is fine. I have something I need to ask you if that is okay?”

“Would this have anything to do with why Bea has been in the most pleasant mood these past few days?” Alex hears her smile and reminds himself of how intelligent Henry's mother is. It also is going to be a miracle if Henry doesn’t find out his plan. 

“It might.” Alex takes one deep breath, “I would like your blessing to marry your son.” 

“Of course you have my blessing Alex. Be good to him, he loves you immensely.”

“I will. He means the world to me.” They talk a little longer before Catherine has to go. Alex lets out a massive sigh of relief when he hangs up the phone. Everything is going according to plan. 

  
  
  


Alex makes it back to New York a half-hour before Henry is supposed to land. He decided to skip the first train to spend more time with his mom and then the second train ran late. Henry can not beat him back to the brownstone. Alex pulls up right as Henry texts him letting him know that he’s landed. 

He unlocks the door quickly and immediately lets David off his leash. The dog follows Alex as he runs upstairs with his bag. Alex hastily dumps everything in the bag into the hamper and then puts the bag back into the closet. Everything looks sort of messy, but that is part of the point. He needs to make it look like he has been here the entire weekend. In their bedroom, Alex flips over the comforter on his side of the bed so it looks like he slept there and forgot to make it. Heading back downstairs Alex kicks his shoes off sending them flying towards the entryway. He probably has 5 minutes left now and goes into the living room. He knows he is being dramatic as he dives onto the couch. He grabs the remote, flicks the TV to the news, and tries to look as chill as possible. He definitely wasn’t in DC this morning right? 

Alex hears the doorknob turn and shimmies himself deeper into the couch. 

“Alex?” Henry’s voice rings out. 

“In here!” Alex yells just as Henry walks in. 

“Comfy?” Henry asks walking over to the couch and leaning over his boyfriend. His face is upside down over Alex’s only inches away. 

“Very.” Alex reaches up to kiss him. “Join me?” Alex scoots so Henry has space to sit right next to him. Henry sets his head down on Alex’s shoulder. “How is the shelter?”

“Good. I feel like Pez had me talk to everyone in Vancouver.”

“Sounds like Pez kept you busy.”

“Mmmhmmm. What did you do all weekend?”

“Not a single thing.” Alex gently kisses Henry’s forehead. 

* * *

Oscar sent something for Alex to look over. So Alex sits at their dining room table flipping through the folder trying to make sense of it. He can hear bits and pieces of Henry talking on the phone to his mom in the study next door. Alex only starts paying attention when Henry goes quiet. He can only make out a couple of short two-word responses until Henry says goodbye. Alex knows he shouldn’t be listening, but the change in conversation stirs up his gut. Alex expects Henry to walk out of the living room and right back to him. He ignores the work in front of him and glues his eyes to the entryway. No one comes in. Five minutes later Alex gets up to go find him. He is leaning up against the window, looking out through the sheer curtains. “H?” Henry looks back at Alex. His mouth is pressed into a tight line; his brow scrunched up. “What is going on?”

“Mum called.” That is all he says, leaving Alex lost on how to proceed. He walks up to the blond boy, sliding a hand up his back. Henry stays quiet for a minute. “She talked to Gran, finally.”

“ About-”

“Yes.”

“It didn’t go well I’m assuming.” Alex shifts around so he can see his boyfriend’s face square on.

“Apparently, Gran said once we do everything she demands she will let Mum take charge. We’re fucking bargaining chips. Our lives, us, are pawns to her. She has been doing everything possible to drive us apart for years Alex. She used to be nice. When I was little she used to be a grandmother. Coming out put a firm end to that. She has made it quite clear how much of a bloody disappointment I am. I have gotten used to it. I don’t care anymore, but to use our relationship against my mother. It’s fucked up and I am sick of it!” 

Alex takes Henry’s hands working them out of the balled-up fists they ended up in. “You have every right to be upset, but try to think of it this way. She said she would step down. She gave us an out, baby.”

“But love-” Henry's voice has relaxed and now comes out tired.

“What is left? 6 months, maybe a year. That is nothing compared to the past four. We are almost done. It’s almost over.” 

“You’re right. You’re always right. I want a family where who I date is not manipulated for power. Your family is so lovely Alex. I wish mine was like that.”

“The Claremont- Diaz household wasn’t sunshine and puppies growing up. My parents are better now, but you were at last Thanksgiving. We can make our own family Henry. We can be different from our parents and grandparents. We already are so different from them.”

Henry nods slowly, understanding. “We will be different.”

“We’ll be better.” 


	10. Your Chosen One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is guys, gals, and pals! Hope you enjoy it!!! 
> 
> Also thanks for all of the lovely comments on the last chapter!

Alex lays back, his head going to rest on Henry’s bare chest. The lake is quiet and the swimming dock sways under them with the waves. The sky above them is lit a beautiful orange. It bounces off the clouds and onto the water below. Back on shore, June and Nora are starting to get the campfire up and running. Henry plays with Alex’s curls, looping them in and out of his fingers. Alex drips his hand into the cool lake water. Tomorrow he is going to ask Henry to marry him. To commit to forever. Alex can not think of a better way to end their weekend here. 

“What are you thinking of, love?” Henry can probably feel his brain working under his hand.

“You,” Alex sits up and turns looking down at his boyfriend. “How you look in the morning light, Your smile, how deeply you love everyone, the sky reflects on your eyes. How absolutely perfect you are-” Henry shuts alex up by pulling Alex down ontop of him, kissing him. Henry runs his hand up Alex’s spine, damp from the lake. 

Something bits Henry’s arm causing him to jump back and slap the mosquito. 

“Ew.” Alex looks at the smashed mosquito on his boyfriend. Henry dips his arm into the lake shaking it off. “We are going to get eaten alive if we stay out here much longer.” Alex says ignoring his point and snuggling up closer to Henry. Alex looks back up to the fading sun. That is when he sees it. It's a black square maybe 40 ft above them and slowly moving closer. “Is that a drone?” Alex asks, pointing to it. Henry stands up dislodging Alex from his comfortable position. “Probably just some kids trying to get the sunset.” Alex joins Henry on his feet shaking the raft. 

“You are most likely right.” They watch as it flies closer to the them stopping right near them. Thats when Alex notices this isnt a plastic play drone, but a top of the line one. He looks right at the fancy camera on the bottom.

“That's not kids.” Alex says. “Lets go.” Henry dives off the raft perfectly, while Alex jumps in with a large splash. They race back to shore. Henry beats Alex and starts hurrying up to June and Nora pointing at the drone. This is also two Secret Service agents come up to him and start hurrying everyone toward the house. Oscar is stepping out the back door holding beers in one hand and marshmallows inthe other. He back tacks inside with everyone coming up the stairs towards him. “What’s going on?”

Once inside the PPOs lock the door and close the curtains. “Someone found us. They’re flying a drone.” Alex says shivering with cold and dripping water all over the kitchen. Nora hands Henry and him a couple towels that were sitting in a basket by the door. 

“Fuck kids, I’m sorry.” He puts his arm across June’s shoulder. “Let’s get changed and we’ll find something to do in here.”

Alex and Henry head upstairs to the bathroom and each soak another towel getting dry enough to change. 

Henry pulls on some shorts and sits down on the edge of the bathtub. Alex turns off the blow dryer and sits next to his boyfriend. Henry’s back is tense, his eyes closed. Alex notices his breathing starting to hitch. “Hey H, it's okay.”

“How did they find us here Alex? This place was supposed to be away from everything. No one was to know.”

“I don’t know how they found us. There are so many people outside right now trying to find out what is going on. We’ll know soon.” 

“This was your place. Your family’s place.” Henry sets his face in his hands and Alex rubs his back. “How do you not blame me?” He asks quietly. 

“You didn’t call those people, baby.” Alex lifts his boyfriends face to meet his. “None of this is your fault. Not the paps, not the things bigoted rich white people say, not your grandma. People knew who I was before I started dating you. None of this is your fault. Say it.”

“What?” 

“Say none of this is your fault.” 

“I..”

“Jesus, H you are not responsible for other people's actions.” Alex grabs both his hands. “Say it.”

“isnotmyfault.” 

“Again.”

“Love-”

“Again.”

“It’s not my fault.” 

“One more time.”

“It is not my fault.” Henry looks exhausted. The older boy does rest his head on Alex’s shoulder. 

They finish getting dressed and head back down stairs. June is plucking out the opening of Dust in the Wind on a guitar. Some had lit up the fireplace in the living room. Alex has never seen it used before. Nora holds a marshmallow stick pointing directly at the base of the flames. They both go sit on the floor next to her and she passes each of them a marshmallow. Oscar carries a tray of drinks out for everyone. “Why don’t you play something a little happier CJ?”

June stops, looks up at her dad, and starts plucking out Stairway to Heaven.

Alex groans and turns to his sister. “Let me have it.” She passes the guitar over and Alex plays the only song he is confident enough to not fuck up at this moment. It’s Wonderwall, because of course it is. 

“TODAY IS GONNA BE THE DAY THAT THEY’RE GONNA THROW BACK TO YOU!” Nora belts pulling her charred marshmallow out of the fire. Alex joins her, the two of them loud and off key. His playing isn’t perfect and they mumble out the lyrics none of them know. By the time the second chorus comes around Henry and June is singing. Alex’s dad watches them with a smile. They are screaming the words. Alex releases more and more tension with each verse. 

The song ends and they all go for their drinks trying to ease their throats. Alex passes the guitar back to June with a smirk as if to say ‘like that.’ She rolls her eyes at him. Alex puts his marshmallow on a stick as June findles around with different chords, trying to figure something out. 

Alex doesn’t recognize the song when she starts playing it. Nora scoots closer to June singing along quietly. June joins her and Alex gets it: Love Story by Taylor Swift. He is not sure if he wants to yank the guitar from June or start crying. Henry turns to face Alex. She could have played anything else. Alex used to think their love felt dangerous like no one person should have this much power over him. One look should not make him feel so relieved, and safe, and goddamn happy. He tries to steady himself with a deep breath. It doesn’t stop his eyes from glossing over and hands from pulling Henry toward him. He is going to sob like a child if he doesn’t kiss this man. 

When the song ends June sends Alex back the same ‘like that’ look that he sent her. He grumbles to himself. 

Cash walks into the room earning all their eyes. “We figured out where the drone came from. A couple photographers are renting a house across the lake. We are still trying to figure out how they found out where you all were here. We did manage to catch the drone and may have been less than gentle with it.”

“Thanks Cash.” Alex says imagining the paparazzo's face when his ridiculously expensive drone is returned broken to bits by the Secret Service. 

“Can they see us without the drone?” June asks. “From across the lake.” 

“They have some pretty big lenses, so most likely.” 

“Fucking great.” Just like that everything Alex has planned goes up in smoke. He can’t ask Henry to marry him then there are creeps filming the thing hundreds of feet away. He really wants to punch something. He really thinks he might punch something. Alex quickly looks around the room. “I’ll be right back,” he says before walking upstairs and into his room. 

There is talking in the room as he leaves and someone’s footsteps are coming up the stairs after him. Alex prays it is not Henry. He goes into Henry and his room closing the door behind him. 

Nora doesn’t knock, instead walking right in and closing the door behind her. “I’m sorry.” 

Alex is pacing up and down the room, tossing a small black box back and forth between his hands. “It was going to be fucking perfect. I had everything planned out. It was going to be romantic and beautiful. And now I am back to square one. We’re never going to get away like this again. What the fuck to I do now?”

“You could march downstairs right now and ask Henry to marry you and he would say yes. So stop freaking the fuck out. You two will get engaged and grow old as the gross sappy lovesick people you are.” 

Someone grabs the door handle on the other side and Alex, in a panic, tosses the box to Nora who without a second thought shoves it in her bra. 

The door opens just enough for June to get through, before being closed again. Nora pulls out the box and passes it back to Alex. “Pa started talking soccer with Henry. Are you okay?” 

“Yeah.” Alex walks over to the closet and puts the ring in the pocket of a sweatshirt. “Sometimes I just wish we were just Henry and Alex and not.” Alex gestures broadly at the air around them. “You know. I wish I could just take him to a restaurant and, i don’t know, put the ring in a champagne glass or some cliche shit like that.” He goes back to pacing.

“Alex, you were never meant to a regular person. You will figure out an even better way to propose to Henry, but right now he is sitting down there worried about you.”

“Yeah.” Alex tries to shake his hands to release his pent up energy. “I don't think Pa knows that much about the Premier League.” 

They all head down stairs. Alex stops as he is about to enter the living room. Henry and his Dad are in some sort of debate. Their voices are excited and both of them are too involved to notice Alex in the doorway. He thinks his heart might collapse at the sight. June pokes his back egging him into the room. Alex goes and sits back down next to Henry, “what are you two talking about?”

“Football.” Henry replies.

Alex grins and decides to play dumb. “The Cowboys are looking good this year.” 

Oscar lets out a playfully disappointed sigh and stands up walking out of the room. He pats Alex's shoulder as he leaves.

Henry turns to Alex and whispers “are you alright?”

“I’m good. Just needed a minute.” 

Henry nods. June and Nora are on their phones, probably texting Pez and Bea telling them what is going on. They all stay in the living room for the rest of the evening.

The night draws darker causing Alex and Henry to decide to go upstairs. Alex wraps his arms around Henry as he gets into bed. “About earlier-”

“I am good, H, honestly.” Alex slides his arm around Henry. His fingers feeling the soft blue silk of Henry’s pajamas. 

“I worry, love.” Henry rolls over to face him. 

“I know you do.” Alex sits up, and shifts to face Henry straight on, “and I know you will worry. It doesn’t help that we haven’t talked much about what is coming, about what it means for us. I want to be with you, baby, and I am willing to accept everything that comes with that. The good, the bad, all of it. This is a choice I am making. Happily making. Do you get that?”

“What if you come to England, realize you hate it and resent me for making you move?”

“Henry, I could never resent you. Please please please believe me. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I will never regret any of this.”

“I do believe you.” Henry closes his eyes. “Thats what is so fucking frustating. My brain goes on with hypotheticals no matter how much I tell it to stop.”

“I know,” Alex is on his feet and heading toward the closet. He knows he is being impulsive, but cant find it in him to care or stop. He reaches into the sweatshirt pocket and pulls out the red ring box. He covers his hand over it trying to hide it from Henry who has now stood up and is looking very confused.

“Alex what-”

“Shhh.” Alex steps up inches from the older boy's face. “Everytime you start to think some ridiculous thing I want you to look at this. I am not doing this because someone told me too. I am doing this because I want to be with you. I want to wake up next to you every morning in the same timezone; the same country. I am choosing you, a life with you, and everything that comes along with that.”

“Love, what are you doing?”

“I,” Alex’s body moves before he can even register what is happening. He moves down pushing one knee into the carpet and flicking the box open, “am asking you to marry me.” Alex looks up at the amazing, beautiful man before him. 

“I-” Henry’s eyes are wide and Alex’s chest thumps loudly as he looks into them. “Yes. Of course. Yes.” 

Alex flies up from the ground and into his fiance’s arms. “I love you so much.” 

It doesn’t feel real to Alex as Henry grabs his cheeks pulling their lips together. They’ve kissed millions of time before, but this perfect. He can taste the mint from Henry’s toothpaste mixing the salt from their tears. They desperate cling on to the each other, as each notice theri knees grow weaker. Henry feels like home, warm and inviting. Alex’s chest is still racing only its no longer from nerves. He is filled with anticipation for the life they are about to start together. They break apart, pushing their foreheads together, and tyring to catch theri breath. “You asked me to marry you.” Henry gets out in a whisper. 

“I did.” Alex straightens and up picks the ring out of the box. Henry holds out his hand and Alex slowly slides the ring on. It fits perfectly, stunning on Henry’s hand. Alex wants it framed and hung in the Louvre. “Do you like it?”

“It is beautiful.” Henry grabs the band of Alex’s pajama pants and pulls him back in for another kiss. “You’re beautiful.” 

This is perfect, Alex thinks. Henry and he don’t need a big production, there will be plenty of those to come. They just needed each other. The two of them crawl back into the bed and Henry holds his hand up toward the ceiling. “We will need to get you one. I can only imagine how pretty it will be.”

“No way near as gorgeous as yours. I never want to see it off your finger.”

“I am never going to remove it.” Alex knows he will have to if they are going to keep it a secret, but that's a conversation for a different day. Henry spins the ring around with his thumb admiring it. He suddenly puts his hand down. “Is this why we are not in the bunk beds?”

Alex raises his eyebrow suggestively. “Maybe.” 

“How quiet can you be?”

“Very.”

“Then shall we put this bed to use,  _ fiance _ ?”

Oh my god. Alex loves that word. He especially loves that word on Henry’s lips. Alex moves on top of Henry pushing him into the mattress. “We shall.”

As they get dressed the next morning Alex can not take his eyes off Henry’s hand. He tries to memorize every line, every vein. He loves how the ring sets just below his knuckle. He loves how Henry keeps touching it with his other fingers as if to keep checking that it is real. They take their time getting ready, waiting until the smell of breakfast that comes up the stairs is too strong to ignore. Alex grabs Henry’s hand as they go down toward the kitchen. They don’t even make it to the table before June notices. “YOU ASKED HIM?” She jumps up from the table running over to them. 

“He did what!?” Nora runs out of the kitchen, a pitcher of orange juice tucked in her arm sloshing around as she moves. “Let me see!” Henry puts his hand out toward them and the two girls shriek. 

Oscar pokes his head out of the steamy kitchen trying to see the commotion. “What happened?”

“He asked Henry!” June yells as her and Nora wrap their arms around Henry. 

Oscar dips back into the kitchen for a second to take eggs off the stove before joining everyone else. Alex’s dad places a hand on his shoulder. “Good job.”

“Thanks Pa.” 

The girls let go of Henry and Oscar takes the opportunity to wrap his arm across Henry’s back and welcome him to the family. 

Oscar heads back to the kitchen to finish up breakfast while the rest of them sit around the table. “Did you tell Bea yet? She did pick the ring.” Nora asks 

“Bea picked the ring?” Henry turns to Alex.

“Hey! I picked the ring. Bea only pointed it out.”

“I see.” Henry pulls out his phone and quickly snaps a picture of his hand. 

“You got to do better than that.” June reaches out for Henry’s phone. She then grabs his hand, adjusting it on the table and taking a picture from above. “There. Send her that one.” She passes him his phone back and Henry presses a few buttons. He is about to thank June when his phone starts buzzing with the ring tone for a video call. 

“Hello Bea.” Henry leans the phone up against a salt shaker so that everyone is on camera. 

“I thought it was called off!” She is sitting in what looks like the back of a car. 

“It was.” Alex says, “but then I decided to do it anyway.” 

“Of course you did. Congratulations.” Someone in the car gets Beas attention “Shit. I have to go. Talk to you soon.” 

As soon as they get off the phone with Bea. Oscar walks in carrying two plates stacked high with food. “Hope everyone is hungry.” Alex’s hand finds Henry’s left hand under the table. He doesn’t let go the entire meal. 

After breakfast everyone gathers on the front porch. The house blocks the view anyone might have from the lake. Alex and Henry claim the porch swing. June sits up on the railing next to them. She is playing a game involving trying to swing a metal ring attached to a string onto a nail on a post 6 feet away. Nora is on the other side of the post trying to hook her ring before June. “Has anyone told Pez?” Henry wonders aloud. 

The girls answer ‘“nope” while Alex shakes his head. Pez picks up on the 2nd ring. 

“Henry! How is the lake?”

“Fantastic let me put you on speaker.” Henry sets the phone on the railing in front of June so they can all hear him.

Alex, June, and Nora let lose a cacophony of greetings. 

“Sweetheart, now can I assume you are not calling to discuss business?”

“That would be correct.”

“And can I also assume you are not calling because you plan to break poor Alex’s heart again and need a getaway driver?”

Henry turns to look at Alex.“I would never do that again.”

“Great. So can I assume you said yes?”

“I said yes.” Nora and June both let out a single cheer. 

“How’d you know?” Alex asks.

“Would you have called me out of the blue on a Sunday morning, while you are supposed to be on holiday if you hadn’t gotten impatient and gone through with it anyway?” Alex has to secede his point. “Hen I will pry the sappy details out of you another time, but right now congratulations. You two a perfect together also now you officially get to plan the biggest gay wedding in history.”

Alex turns to Henry, a cocky, amused smile on his lips. “History, huh?”

Henry looks back at his fiance leaning in close. “Bet we could make some.” They share a giddy kiss, that is all smiles and anticipation. 

“And they’ve started being gross again,” June says into the phone as she picks it up off speaker. Alex peeks an eye open briefly catching his sister walking over to Nora with the phone. He leans deeper into the kiss. Pez hung up by the time they stop. 

* * *

“Ready?” Alex asks, zipping up his suitcase on the bed. Henry holds the handle of his bag and looks down at the ring on the other hand. 

“I have to take this off. Don’t I?” His voice is quiet. It stops Alex dead in his tracks.

Alex slides his hands over Henry’s. “People could see.” 

“I don’t want to.”

“I know, baby. Here.” Alex reaches up and unclasps the chain around his neck with his key and Henry’s signet ring. He takes his fiance’s finger. Slowly he slides the band off and feeds the chain through it. It clinks against the key as it falls to the center. “This way you can still wear it, but only we will know.”

“ You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. ” Henry says as Alex clasps the chain behind his neck. 

“Austen?” Alex guesses as the necklace sets on Henry’s chest.

“Dr. Suess.”

Alex laughs and takes Henry’s bare hand as they leave. 

It is early evening when they get back to the brownstone in New York City. They are not in the door 5 minutes before Henry is handing Alex his chain back and places the ring back on my finger. “Would you look at that? I am engaged.” 

“I wonder who the lucky man could be.” Alex lets go of his suitcase and walks right up to Henry. Their chests touch and Alex looks up at Henry with a cocked eyebrow. He fully intends on grabbing his  _ fiance _ and leading him up to their bedroom where no one is allowed to leave until tomorrow morning. 

“I do believe I am the lucky one.” Henry steps back confusing Alex and walks toward the kitchen. “Would you l like a snack, love?”

“What?” Alex follows after Henry into the kitchen. What is Henry getting at? 

“A snack.” Henry pulls out two strawberry cornettos, that they have Pez send over in a large insulated box whenever he is in London. He tosses one to Alex who catches it easily. He doesn’t want ice cream though. He wants Henry. “We will have to have June send us Peeps this spring.”

“I guess so.” Alex never was a huge fan of the treat. He also does not remember Henry being particularly thrilled with them. Their first time back in their house after getting engaged and Henry is focused on ice cream and marshmallow ducks. That the fuck is Alex mising. He is about to ask what is going on when the door rings and Henry quickly disappears from the room to answer it. 

“Henry?” Alex dumps his barely eaten ice cream in the trash as he heads back toward their luggage by the door. By the time Alex gets there Henry is already locking the door closed. In his other hand Henry holds a small bright red bag. “What’s that?”

Henry turns around, tucking the bag behind is back as if Alex has not already seen it. “I got you something.” Alex looks at Henry confused. “It didn’t feel right that I was the only one with a ring.” He brings the bag round Alex reads the gold name written on the side,  _ Cartier.  _ Oh. Henry then pulls out a small red box. “So, if you would like-” Henry flips the lid open swiftly. It is the same ring Alex got him.

Alex doesn’t let him finish the thought. He grabs Henry’s shirt in two large bunches and yanks the taller boy toward him. Alex finally gets his welcome home kiss. 

Henry licks the smudge of chocolate the appeared on his lip off. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes, you goddamn romantic.” Alex holds out his hand and Henry slides the ring on. It fits easily and perfectly. “How the fuck did you do this? I asked you two days ago.”

“I had June and Nora tell me where you got it from and then I may have called and-”

“You played the prince card.” Alex interrupts with a smile. 

“I played the prince card.” Henry takes Alex’s left hand with his. Their rings quietly clink against each other. Alex think its the best fucking sound he’e ever heard. 

Alex steps up close, just like he was when they first came in. “Can I take you up stairs now?”

“Yes. Waiting for the ring to arrive was bloody torture.” 

“Then let's go.” Alex speedily leads Henry upstairs, never loosing the other’s hand. He thinks it can never get better than this. 


End file.
